A new meta-analysis comparing neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy with chemoradiotherapy before surgery in locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma found fewer overall recurrences with the immunochemotherapy approach. The pooled analysis covered 20 studies, with results sensitive to subsequent statistical testing. The analysis reported that the distant-recurrence advantage narrowed under sensitivity checks, reflecting uncertainty across study designs and endpoints. Even so, the overall recurrence signal supported further evaluation of immunochemotherapy strategies in the preoperative setting. The finding matters for trial sponsors because the neoadjuvant period is where clinicians often trade off local control, systemic clearance and toxicity burden—particularly in cancers where surgery remains part of standard care for eligible patients. As immunotherapy is increasingly studied in combination regimens, comparative meta-analytic evidence like this can influence which arms get prioritized in future randomized trials.