The emerging strategy of comprehensive therapy for esophageal cancer: immunotherapy

Esophageal cancer (EC) is a highly malignant tumor, and the overall survival rate remains very low. Traditional treatment is not sufficiently effective, and thus, there is an urgent need for new and effective treatments. The advances in cancer immunotherapy have changed this situation because this type of therapy has a significant potential to eliminate tumors with little damage to normal tissue. This treatment primarily aims to enhance the ability of the immune system to eliminate tumors and prevent tumor immune escape, which is associated with immune surveillance. This review summarizes current cancer therapeutic strategies and immunotherapy studies to demonstrate the potential of immunotherapy for the treatment of EC.