Chemoradiotherapy for Advanced Esophageal Cancer

A Phase 2 Study of Palliative Chemo-Radiotherapy With Carbo-Taxol in Non-Curative Cancer of the Esophagus

Chemoradiotherapy for Advanced Esophageal Cancer (NCT02297217) is a Phase 2 interventional studying Esophageal Cancer, sponsored by AHS Cancer Control Alberta. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

About This Trial

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether a treatment actually works against Esophageal Cancer and continue monitoring side effects. Phase 2 enrolls larger groups (typically 100–300 patients) and produces the first real efficacy signal. A successful Phase 2 readout is what unlocks the much larger Phase 3 confirmatory trials needed for FDA approval.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

Target enrollment of 50 participants puts this in the typical range for a Phase 2-style efficacy study or a moderate Phase 3 trial in a focused Esophageal Cancer subpopulation. At this scale, the study has enough statistical power to detect a clear treatment effect but is not the largest cohort in the field.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: 1. Biopsy proven carcinoma of the esophagus. 2. Not a candidate for radical/curative treatment due to the advanced nature of the disease, presence of metastases, or intercurrent illness. 3. Symptomatic patients with Mellow Dysphagia Scores of ≥ 1 i.e. able to eat only some solids. 4. ECOG Performance status ≤ 2. 5. Patients able to begin treatment within 14 days of signing the willing to sign a consent form form. 6. Patient is at least 18 years old. 7. Hematological function as defined by the following laboratory parameters: - Hemoglobin \> 100g/L - Platelet count \> 100x10E9/L - Absolute neutrophil count \> 1.5x10E9/L 8. Renal function to undergo chemotherapy as defined by the following laboratory parameters: - Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 2.5x the upper limit of institutional normal (≤ 5 if liver metastases) - Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5x the upper limit of institutional normal - Calculated kidney function (creatinine clearance) at least 50 mL/min using the Cockcroft-Gault formula 9. Patients capable of childbearing are using adequate contraception. 10. Written and willing to sign a consent form of patient. Who Should NOT Join This Trial: 1. Previous radiotherapy delivered to the chest. 2. Synchronous active malignancies. 3. Pregnant or lactating patients: women of child bearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test within 7 days of Treatment Visit 1. Women or men of child bearing potential must use effective contraception (defined by the use of two birth control methods, which can be either two barrier methods or a barrier method plus a hormonal method to prevent pregnancy). Subjects must start using birth control from the time they have signed the willing to sign a consent form Form prior to start of therapy until 120 days post completion of study therapy or study discontinuation, which must be documented in the eCRF. ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Biopsy proven carcinoma of the esophagus. 2. Not a candidate for radical/curative treatment due to the advanced nature of the disease, presence of metastases, or intercurrent illness. 3. Symptomatic patients with Mellow Dysphagia Scores of ≥ 1 i.e. able to eat only some solids. 4. ECOG Performance status ≤ 2. 5. Patients able to begin treatment within 14 days of signing the informed consent form. 6. Patient is at least 18 years old. 7. Hematological function as defined by the following laboratory parameters: * Hemoglobin \> 100g/L * Platelet count \> 100x10E9/L * Absolute neutrophil count \> 1.5x10E9/L 8. Renal function to undergo chemotherapy as defined by the following laboratory parameters: * Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 2.5x the upper limit of institutional normal (≤ 5 if liver metastases) * Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5x the upper limit of institutional normal * Calculated creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min using the Cockcroft-Gault formula 9. Patients capable of childbearing are using adequate contraception. 10. Written and informed consent of patient. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Previous radiotherapy delivered to the chest. 2. Synchronous active malignancies. 3. Pregnant or lactating patients: women of child bearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test within 7 days of Treatment Visit 1. Women or men of child bearing potential must use effective contraception (defined by the use of two birth control methods, which can be either two barrier methods or a barrier method plus a hormonal method to prevent pregnancy). Subjects must start using birth control from the time they have signed the Informed Consent Form prior to start of therapy until 120 days post completion of study therapy or study discontinuation, which must be documented in the eCRF. 4. Patients unfit for any treatment component, including absolute contraindications for radiotherapy or Connective Tissue Disease. 5. Tracheo-esophageal fistula. 6. Esophageal stents in situ. 7. Previous chemotherapy for esophageal cancer 8. Unable to complete surveys in English without aid of interpreter.

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

Carboplatin and Taxol (paclitaxel)

Patients will receive carboplatin (AUC 2) and paclitaxel (50 mg/m2) intravenously on Days 1 and 8. Patients are seen for 2 weekly Treatment Visits during concurrent chemo-radiation then every 28 days until the End of Study Visit, approximately 6 months after Treatment Visit 1. Preparation and administration of chemotherapy will be according to local site standard of care.

RADIATION

External Beam Radiation

Patients will receive external beam radiation therapy of 30Gy/10 fractions over two weeks (or reduced to 25 Gy/10 fractions if acute toxicity parameters are met during the run-in) and receive carboplatin (AUC 2) and paclitaxel (50 mg/m2) intravenously on Days 1 and 8. Treatment will be planned, prescribed and delivered using standard 3D radiotherapy planning techniques to encompass the primary tumor and surrounding clinical target volume. Patients are seen for 2 weekly Treatment Visits during concurrent chemo-radiation then every 28 days until the End of Study Visit, approximately 6 months after Treatment Visit 1.

Locations (1)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

Tom Baker Cancer Centre

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT02297217), the sponsor (AHS Cancer Control Alberta), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT02297217 clinical trial studying?

This study aims to show that the addition of carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy to a palliative course of external beam radiation treatment improves both dysphagia relief and patient quality of life in patients with unresectable esophageal cancer. The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT02297217?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT02297217?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT02297217. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT02297217. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-06-07 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.