Clinical application of SBRT combined with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitiors for Oligometastatic Esophageal Carcinoma

The oligometastatic state, which represents an intermediate stage between localized disease and widespread metastasis, is increasingly recognized as a critical window for clinical intervention. While immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have become the first-line standard of care for advanced esophageal carcinoma, their clinical benefits remain limited.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), with its capability for high-precision and high-dose irradiation, offers not only effective local ablation of oligometastatic lesions but also induction of a systemic antitumor immune response. In recent years, the combination of SBRT and immunotherapy has emerged as a prominent research focus in the management of oligometastatic esophageal carcinoma. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advances in combined SBRT and ICIs for oligometastatic esophageal carcinoma, with emphasis on the evolving disease definition, underlying synergistic mechanisms and current clinical evidence.