Impact of baseline steroids on the efficacy of neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy in locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the patients, n (%)

Characteristics	N = 142
Age, median (IQR) (years)	62 (35-80)
Sex
Male	114 (80.3)
Female	28 (19.7)
ECOG
0	92 (64.8)
1	50 (35.2)
≥2	0 (0)
Premedication
Dexamethasone	107 (75.4)
Antihistamine	35 (24.6)
cTNM stage
I	1 (0.7)
II	33 (23.2)
III	86 (60.6)
IV	22 (15.5)
cT stage
T1	0 (0)
T2	36 (25.4)
T3	96 (67.6)
T4	10 (7.0)
cN stage
N0	20 (14.1)
N1	54 (38.0)
N2	51 (35.9)
N3	17 (12.0)

The clinical stage was assessed using endoscopy or computed tomography and was classified according to the Union for International Cancer Control tumor–node–metastasis classification, 8^th edition. IQR: Interquartile range; cTNM stage: Clinical stage; TNM: Tumor–node–metastasis; ECOG: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group.

Table 2 Post-operation evaluation, n (%)

Characteristics	N = 142
Short-term efficacy
pCR	46 (32.4)
MPR	85 (59.9)
ypTNM stage1
I	82 (57.7)
II	19 (13.4)
III	40 (28.2)
IV	1 (0.7)
ypT stage1
T1	49 (34.5)
T2	36 (25.4)
T3	17 (12.0)
T4	40 (28.2)
ypN stage1
N0	101 (71.1)
N1	32 (22.5)
N2	8 (5.6)
N3	1 (0.7)

¹y indicates that the staging is done after neoadjuvant therapy; p indicates that the staging is based on pathological examination.

TNM: Tumor–node–metastasis; pCR: Complete pathological response; MPR: Major pathological response.