Chemoradiotherapy Followed by Planned Surgery or by Surveillance and Surgery Only When Needed for Oesophageal Cancer (NEEDS)

March 4, 2025 updated by: Magnus Nilsson, Karolinska University Hospital

NEoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Versus Definitive Chemoradiotherapy with Salvage Surgery As Needed (NEEDS Trial)

NEEDS is a pragmatic open-label, randomised, controlled, phase III, multicenter trial with non-inferiority design with regard to the first co-primary endpoint overall survival and superiority for the experimental intervention definitive chemoradiotherapy. A second co-primary endpoint is global health related quality of life (HRQOL) one year after randomisation. A third co-primary endpoint is eating restictions one year after randomisation.

The aim is to compare outcomes after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy with subsequent esophagectomy to definitive chemoradiotherapy with surveillance and salvage esophagectomy as needed in patients with resectable locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the esophagus, with the aim to provide generalisable guidance for future clinical practice.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
1020

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Histopathologically confirmed SCC of the esophagus in locally advanced stages cT1 N+ or cT2-4a any N, M0, according to current (8th) version of of the AJCC TNM classification.
  • Technically resectable disease according to the local multidisciplinary team conference (MDT)/tumor board.
  • Performance status ECOG 0-1.
  • Adequate organ function.
  • Women of childbearing potential (WOCBP*) must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test.
  • Patients of childbearing/reproductive potential should use highly effective method of birth control measures during the study treatment period and for at least five months after the last study treatment.
  • Female subjects who are breast feeding should discontinue nursing prior to the first dose of study treatment.
  • Absence of any psychological, familial, sociological or geographical condition potentially hampering compliance with the study protocol and follow-up schedule.
  • Before patient registration/randomization, written informed consent must be given according to ICH/GCP/GDPR and national/local regulations.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • M1 according to current (8th) version of of the AJCC TNM classification.
  • cT4b according to current (8th) version of of the AJCC TNM classification.
  • Primary tumor not resectable without laryngectomy.
  • Impaired renal, hepatic, cardiac, pulmonary or endocrine status that compromises the eligibility of the patient for multimodality treatment with chemoradiotherapy followed by esophagectomy.
  • Subjects not considered likely to tolerate multimodality treatment with chemoradiotherapy followed by esophagectomy.
  • Subjects with previous malignancies are excluded unless a complete remission or complete resection was achieved at least 5 years prior to study entry.
  • Prior or concomitant treatment with radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy with potential overlap of radiotherapy fields.
  • Known uncontrollable hypersensitivity to the components of the chemotherapeutic agents used in the trial regimens.
  • Inability to fully understand and digest study patient information or to comply with study instructions due to language difficulty or cognitive failure such as dementia or severe psychiatric disorder.

(Criteria slightly shortened)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Control arm (A)

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by esophagectomy.

Radiotherapy: 1.8 Gy fractions 5 days per week in 23 fractions to a total dose of 41.4 Gy.

Chemotherapy: Carboplatin AUC 2 + Paclitaxel 50mg/m2 weekly x 5 (day 1, 8, 15, 22, 29), starting on the first day of radiotherapy.

Esophagectomy: Within 8 weeks of termination of chemoradiotherapy,
Radiation: Neoadjuvant radiotherapy (arm A)
1.8 Gy fractions 5 days per week in 23 fractions to a total dose of 41.4 Gy.
Drug: Carboplatin, paclitaxel
Carboplatin AUC 2 + Paclitaxel 50mg/m2 weekly x 5 (day 1, 8, 15, 22, 29), starting same day as radiotherapy
Other Names:
  • Neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Procedure: Esophagectomy
Esophagectomy performed within 8 weeks after termination of chemoradiotherapy
Drug: Carboplatin, paclitaxel
Carboplatin AUC 2 + Paclitaxel 50mg/m2 on day 1 weekly during the full course of radiotherapy (5 weeks or 6 weeks, depending on the radiotherapy regimen used).
Other Names:
  • Neoadjuvant Platin-Taxane Regimen (alternative 1)
Procedure: Esophagectomy
Esophagectomy only in case of residual or recurrent locoregional cancer.
Experimental: Experimental arm (B)

Definitive chemoradiotherapy followed by surveillance, and esophagectomy only in case of residual or recurrent locoregional cancer.

Radiotherapy: Two alternative schemes:

  1. 1.8 Gy fractions five days per week in 28 fractions to a total dose of 50.4 Gy.
  2. 2.0 Gy fractions five days per week in 25 fractions to a total dose of 50 Gy.

Chemotherapy: Three alternative regimens:

1. Platin-Taxane Regimen: Carboplatin AUC 2 + Paclitaxel 50mg/m2 on day 1 weekly during the full course of radiotherapy.

2a. Platinum-Fluoropyrimidine Regimen: Cisplatin 75mg/m2 weeks 1 and 5 + 5-fluorouracil 1000 mg/m2/day by continuous infusion weeks 1 and 5.

2b. FOLFOX: Oxaliplatin 85 mg/m2, calcium folinate 200 mg/m2 and 5-fluorouracil 400 mg/m2 weeks 1, 3 and 5 + 5-fluorouracil 800 mg/m2 by continuous infusion weeks 1, 3 and 5.
Drug: Carboplatin, paclitaxel
Carboplatin AUC 2 + Paclitaxel 50mg/m2 weekly x 5 (day 1, 8, 15, 22, 29), starting same day as radiotherapy
Other Names:
  • Neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Procedure: Esophagectomy
Esophagectomy performed within 8 weeks after termination of chemoradiotherapy
Drug: Carboplatin, paclitaxel
Carboplatin AUC 2 + Paclitaxel 50mg/m2 on day 1 weekly during the full course of radiotherapy (5 weeks or 6 weeks, depending on the radiotherapy regimen used).
Other Names:
  • Neoadjuvant Platin-Taxane Regimen (alternative 1)
Procedure: Esophagectomy
Esophagectomy only in case of residual or recurrent locoregional cancer.
Radiation: Neoadjuvant radiotherapy (arm B)

Two alternative schemes:

  1. 1.8 Gy fractions five days per week in 28 fractions to a total dose of 50.4 Gy.
  2. 2.0 Gy fractions five days per week in 25 fractions to a total dose of 50 Gy.
Drug: Cisplatin, paclitaxel
Cisplatin 75mg/m2 on the first day of weeks 1 and 5 + 5-fluorouracil 1000 mg/m2/day by continuous infusion on the first four days of weeks 1 and 5.
Other Names:
  • Platinum-Fluoropyrimidine Regimens (alternative 2a)
Drug: Oxaliplatin, calcium folinate, 5-fluorouracil
FOLFOX: Oxaliplatin 85 mg/m2, calcium folinate 200 mg/m2 and 5-fluorouracil 400 mg/m2 on the first days of weeks 1, 3 and 5 + 5-fluorouracil 800 mg/m2 by continuous infusion on the first two days of weeks 1, 3 and 5.
Other Names:
  • Platinum-Fluoropyrimidine Regimens (alternative 2b)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Global Health-related quality of life (HRQOL)
Time Frame: 1 year after randomisation
European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30, version 3.0 (EORTC QLQ-C30). The two items assessing global health and overall quality of life are responded to in seven categories ranging from 1 (very poor) to 7 (excellent).
1 year after randomisation
Overall survival
Time Frame: 3 years after randomisation
When 398 events have occurred
3 years after randomisation
Eating restrictions
Time Frame: 1 year after randomisation
EORTC QLQ-OG25 instrument. This instrument consists of 25 items covering upper gastric symptoms or problems in four categories ranging from 1 (Not at all) to 4 (Very much).
1 year after randomisation

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Health related quality of life of Cancer patients
Time Frame: At randomisation but before start of treatment and thereafter 6, 12, 24, 36 and 60 months after randomisation
EORTC HRQOL Questionnaire QLQ-C30 version 3.0, 28 items ranging from 1 (no problems at all) to 4 (very much) and two items assessing global health and overall quality of life are responded to in seven categories ranging from 1 (very poor) to 7 (excellent).
At randomisation but before start of treatment and thereafter 6, 12, 24, 36 and 60 months after randomisation
Health related quality of life, oesophageal specific.
Time Frame: At randomisation but before start of treatment and thereafter 6, 12, 24, 36 and 60 months after randomisation
EORTC HRQOL gastresophageal-specific questionnaire EORTC QLQ-OG25. 25 items assessing symptoms or problems are responded to in four categories ranging from 1 (no problems) to 4 (very much).
At randomisation but before start of treatment and thereafter 6, 12, 24, 36 and 60 months after randomisation
Health related quality of life, general health
Time Frame: At randomisation but before start of treatment and thereafter 6, 12, 24, 36 and 60 months after randomisation
The EuroQoL Group's EQ-5D-5L questionnaire consisting of five dimensions ranging from No problems to Extreme problems or Unable to care.
At randomisation but before start of treatment and thereafter 6, 12, 24, 36 and 60 months after randomisation
Event-free survival
Time Frame: 5 years after randomisation
Time to relapse, initiation of any anti-tumor therapy beyond the study treatments (salvage surgery is considered a study treatment in the dCRT arm), or death, whichever comes first.
5 years after randomisation
Loco-regional and distant relapse rates
Time Frame: 5 years after randomisation
Including the relation of relapse location to the radiation field
5 years after randomisation
Histopathological response according to Mandard in operated patients
Time Frame: 5 years after randomisation
ypTNM including total and metastatic lymph node count, tumor free resection margins, R0
5 years after randomisation
Health economy
Time Frame: At baseline and 6, 12, 24, 36 and 60 months after randomisation
Assessed including patient-level medical resource use and societal costs due to sick-leave and other non-medical costs. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) will be calculated using EQ-5D
At baseline and 6, 12, 24, 36 and 60 months after randomisation
Surgical complications
Time Frame: After surgery in operated patients, up to 5 years after randomisation
According to the Esophagectomy Complications Consensus Group (ECCG) and classified according to Clavien-Dindo
After surgery in operated patients, up to 5 years after randomisation
Treatment-related adverse events and toxicity
Time Frame: Up to 5 years after randomisation
NCI-CTCAE Criteria version 5.0
Up to 5 years after randomisation
Nutritional outcomes - weight
Time Frame: Up to 5 years after randomisation
Weight development. Weight (in kg) will be measured at all visits.
Up to 5 years after randomisation
Nutritional outcomes - dysphagia
Time Frame: Up to 5 years after randomisation
Dysphagia will be evaluated at all visits according to the CTC adverse event scale, grading from 0 (no problems) to 4 (worst problems).
Up to 5 years after randomisation
Gender stratified analyses of all endpoints
Time Frame: Up to 5 years after randomisation
Up to 5 years after randomisation

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Karolinska University Hospital

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
The Swedish Research Council
University of Leipzig

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Chair: Magnus Nilsson, MD, PhD, Karolinska University Hospital
  • Study Chair: Florian Lordick, MD, PhD, Leipzig University Medical Center

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 27, 2020

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2031

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 25, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 1, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 7, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
March 25, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 4, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • NEEDS

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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