Objective To analyze the efficacy and safety of camrelizumab combined with tegafur, gimeracil and oteracil potassium capsule in treating advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods Eighty patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma treated in the hospital from July 2021 to June 2022 were divided into tegafur, gimeracil and oteracil potassium group (n=44) and combined group (n=36) according to the therapeutic methods. The tegafur, gimeracil and oteracil potassium group was orally treated with tegafur, gimeracil and oteracil potassium capsule, while the combined group was treated with camrelizumab injection on the basis of the tegafur, gimeracil and oteracil potassium group. Tumor markers and immune cell population levels were compared between the two groups before and after treatment; the quality of life was evaluated in both groups; the therapeutic effect and adverse reactions of drugs were analyzed between the two groups.

Results After treatment, the squamous cell carcinoma antigen(SCC-Ag), cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA21-1), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), CD8⁺, and the performance status of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) decreased significantly in both groups, while CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD4⁺/CD8⁺, score of the Quality of Life (QOL), and score of the Karnofsky Scale increased significantly, and the improvement of the above indicators in the combined group were significantly greater than those in the tegafur, gimeracil and oteracil potassium group (P<0.05). The effective rate was 34.09% and the disease control rate was 72.73% in the tegafur, gimeracil and oteracil potassium group, while the effective rate was 63.89% and the disease control rate was 83.33% in the combined group; the effective rate of the combined group was significantly higher than that of thetegafur, gimeracil and oteracil potassium group (P<0.05). Both the tegafur, gimeracil and oteracil potassium group and the combined group occurred adverse reactions such as gastrointestinal discomfort, cardiovascular adverse reactions, myelosuppression, hair loss, thyroid dysfunction, rash and edema, but there were no significant differences between the two groups (P>0.05). The mean progression-free survival (PFS) was (3.13±0.94) months and the mean overall survival (OS) was (6.05±2.38) months in the tegafur, gimeracil and oteracil potassium group, while the mean PFS was (5.08±1.67) months and the mean OS was (9.01±3.54) months in the combined group; the mean PFS and OS in the combined group were significantly longer than those in the tegafur, gimeracil and oteracil potassium group (P<0.05).

Conclusion Camrelizumab combined with tegafur, gimeracil and oteracil potassium capsule can effectively alleviate clinical symptoms, reduce pain and improve the quality of life in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.