Esophageal Cancer Clinical Trials (April 2026): 541 Recruiting Interventional Studies

Last updated: April 20, 2026

Current Clinical Trial Landscape

Recruiting Trials by Treatment Setting

Neoadjuvant / Perioperative (Resectable)

Adding immunotherapy to neoadjuvant chemo or chemoRT — the most active area in esophageal cancer trials:

• Chemoimmunotherapy before surgery:
  • NCT04821843 - Neoadjuvant treatment modalities in esophageal cancer (Phase 3)
  • NCT06952621 - Toripalimab + nab-paclitaxel + platinum vs standard neoadjuvant (Phase 3)
  • NCT04821778 - Chemoradiotherapy in esophageal or GEJ cancer (Phase 3)
• Adjuvant after surgery:
  • NCT07332221 - Toripalimab as adjuvant therapy after esophageal cancer surgery (Phase 3)
  • NCT06914011 - ctDNA MRD-guided adjuvant therapy for resected locally advanced ESCC (Phase 3)
• Radiation approaches:
  • NCT03801876 - Proton therapy vs photon radiation for esophageal cancer (Phase 3)
  • NCT06676449 - TDLN-sparing RT + IO + chemo in locally advanced ESCC (Phase 3)

Locally Advanced — Definitive Chemoradiation

For patients not undergoing surgery — IO added to definitive chemoRT:

• • NCT06964568 - CCRT + PD-1 inhibitor maintenance in locally advanced ESCC (Phase 3)

Metastatic / Recurrent — First-Line

IO + chemo is standard first-line. Trials test novel combinations and ADCs:

• Novel IO combinations:
  • NCT07446335 - Anlotinib + benmelstobart first-line in ESCC (Phase 3)
  • NCT07251062 - SYS6010 + enlonstobart + chemo first-line in ESCC (Phase 3)
  • NCT07221149 - Pumitamig (PD-L1×VEGF bispecific) + chemo in esophageal/GEJ cancer (Phase 3)
  • NCT06203600 - Nivolumab added to standard treatment for advanced stomach/esophageal cancer (Phase 3)

Metastatic — Second-Line and Beyond

After first-line IO+chemo failure — ADCs and novel agents:

• ADCs:
  • NCT07487896 - YL201 (B7-H3 ADC) vs chemo in locally advanced/metastatic ESCC (Phase 3)
  • NCT07417735 - SYS6010 vs chemo in recurrent/metastatic ESCC (Phase 3)
  • NCT06644781 - Ifinatamab deruxtecan (HER2 ADC) in pretreated esophageal/GEJ cancer (Phase 3)
  • NCT07431281 - Sonesitatug vedotin + capecitabine ± rilvegostomig in GEJ/gastric (Phase 3)
• Other agents:
  • NCT07463573 - QLC5508 vs chemo in pretreated ESCC (Phase 3)
  • NCT07392892 - PF-08634404 + chemo in esophageal/GEJ cancer (Phase 3)

Showing selected notable trials. View all 541 recruiting interventional trials on ClinicalTrials.gov.

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