Recently, the Food and Drug Administration approved Nivolumab (Opdivo) - an immunotherapy drug - for first line treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Opdivo should be given in combination with chemotherapy, or in combination with Ipilimumab (another immunotherapy drug).

The approval is supported by results from a clinical trial in which 970 patients with previously untreated unresectable, recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were randomly allocated to receive either Opdivo in combination with chemotherapy (study group I), Opdivo in combination with Ipilimumab (study group II), or chemotherapy alone (control group).

After follow-up of approximately one year, a significantly lower death rate was observed among patients receiving Opdivo (study groups I and II), compared to patients receiving chemotherapy alone (control group).

The approval of Opdivo as first line treatment for patients with advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma increases the potential for better long-term outcomes among these patients.