nivolumab + carboplatin + paclitaxel

Nivolumab + carboplatin + paclitaxel is an investigational combination regimen being evaluated as a neoadjuvant treatment for patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). This regimen integrates the PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab into the standard-of-care CROSS neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy backbone, which consists of carboplatin (a platinum-based alkylating agent) and paclitaxel (a taxane microtubule stabilizer) administered concurrently with radiation. Nivolumab works by blocking the interaction between the PD-1 receptor on T-cells and its ligands (PD-L1 and PD-L2), thereby restoring anti-tumor immune responses. Carboplatin induces DNA cross-linking to inhibit replication, while paclitaxel stabilizes microtubules to arrest the cell cycle. The combination is currently being studied in Phase I/II clinical trials led by NYU Langone Health to determine if the addition of immunotherapy improves pathologic complete response rates and overall survival in ESCC.

Brand names

OpdivoParaplatinTaxol

Other names

nivolimumab + carboplatin + paclitaxelnivolumab with CROSS regimen