PROTECT Trial: First Patients Treated in Trento with Advanced Radiochemotherapy Approaches for Esophageal and Gastroesophageal Cancer have conclude...

The Trial continues to actively recruit Patients and has been expanded to definitive/radical Radiochemotherapy.

The Trento Health System (APSS) is pleased to announce a major milestone in its participation in the international PROTECT trial, a European multicenter study evaluating the role of advanced radiochemotherapy in treating esophageal and gastroesophageal junction cancers. Since the beginning of 2025, the Trento site has been actively recruiting patients. The first four patients have completed treatment with either photon or proton radiotherapy and the Radiotherapy, Proton Therapy and Medical Physics Dpartments have successfully completed the study audit in October of 2025. 

The PROTECT trial—funded by the European Union under the HORIZON research and innovation program—brings together 13 leading European centers and represents a critical step forward in optimizing treatment protocols for these aggressive tumors. It aims to investigate the impact of modern radiation techniques on tumor control, quality of life, and long-term survival.

The Trento site contributes to the trial through a strong multidisciplinary team, drawing on the expertise of the Departments of Radiotherapy, Proton Therapy, General Surgery, Gastroenterology, Medical Oncology, Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, and Medical Physics. This effort is also carried out in collaboration with Prof. Giovanni De Manzoni, Verona, to expand access to patients from other regions of Italy. 

“We are proud to have reached this operational milestone. The start of treatment and the completion of therapy for our first patients is a tangible result of many months of coordinated effort,” said Drs. Sergio Fersino and Daniele Scartoni, who represent radiotherapy and proton therapy within the study at Trento. “The data we generate will help guide future treatment strategies in esophageal and gastroesophageal cancers.” This success has been made possible by a truly collaborative effort by the Departments of Surgery (Head Dr. Alberto Brolese), Radiotherapy and Proton Therapy (in addition to Drs Fersino e Scartoni Drs Irene Giacomelli e Dea Veshaj, Heads Dr. Valentina Vanoni and Dr. Frank Lohr), Medical Physics (Drs. Annalisa Trianni, Loris Menegotti, and Stefano Lorentini, Director of Medical Physics and Medical Physics Coordinators in Radiotherapy and Proton Therapy, as well as Drs. Francesco Fracchiolla and Andrea Martignano), Gastroenterology, (Dr. Laura Bernardoni, Head Prof. Armando Gabrielli) and Oncology (Drs. Michela Frisinghelli and Chiara Trentin, Head Prof. Orazio Caffo) all from APSS Trento. 

The PROTECT trial (Trial ID: NCT05055648) remains open to eligible patients who are candidates for neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy and now also definitive/radical radiochemotherapy. The study seeks to generate critical clinical data that may help improve patient outcomes and redefine standards of care in this field.

For more information on eligibility and participation, please contact:

Sergio.Fersino@apss.tn.it o Daniele.Scartoni@apss.tn.it,