Rational development of combination therapies for biliary tract cancers Review


Authors: Harding, J. J.; Khalil, D. N.; Fabris, L.; Abou-Alfa, G. K.
Review Title: Rational development of combination therapies for biliary tract cancers
Abstract: Biliary tract cancers are an uncommon set of gastrointestinal malignancies that are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Most patients present with incurable locally advanced or metastatic disease. The pathophysiology of biliary tract cancer can be exploited for direct therapeutic benefit, and indeed, chemotherapy, precision medicine, immunotherapy and combination treatments are now applied as both standard-of-care and investigational therapies. In the first-line setting, the immune-based chemotherapy combination of durvalumab plus gemcitabine and cisplatin has recently been shown to improve survival compared to chemotherapy alone. In the second-line, precision medicine can be employed in those with select genetic alterations in IDH1/2 (isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2), FGFR2 (fibroblast growth factor receptor 2), KRAS, BRAF, ERBB2, NTRK (neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase), ROS, RET, and/or deficiencies in mismatch repair enzymes. In those patients without targetable genetic alterations, fluoropyridine doublets lead to modest improvements in outcomes. Next-generation sequencing is critical for direct patient care and to help elucidate genomic mechanisms of resistance in a research context. Currently, multiple clinical trials are ongoing – hence, this review seeks to provide an update on evolving standards of care and ongoing investigational agents, limitations to current treatments, and a framework for effective combination drug development for the future. © 2022 European Association for the Study of the Liver
Keywords: overall survival; mutation; review; cisplatin; cancer combination chemotherapy; gemcitabine; ipilimumab; ticilimumab; progression free survival; pathology; drug development; carcinogenesis; protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor; immunotherapy; intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma; cholangiocarcinoma; trastuzumab; gallbladder cancer; biliary tract cancer; biliary tract neoplasms; biliary tract tumor; pertuzumab; personalized medicine; extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma; dabrafenib; trametinib; nivolumab; humans; human; precision medicine; pembrolizumab; durvalumab; erdafitinib; infigratinib; ivosidenib; pemigatinib; bintrafusp alfa; derazantinib; futibatinib; zoligratinib
Journal Title: Journal of Hepatology
Volume: 78
Issue: 1
ISSN: 0168-8278
Publisher: Elsevier Science, Inc.  
Date Published: 2023-01-01
Start Page: 217
End Page: 228
Language: English
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.09.004
PUBMED: 36150578
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Review -- Export Date: 3 January 2023 -- Source: Scopus
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  1. James Joseph Harding
    250 Harding
  2. Ghassan Abou-Alfa
    568 Abou-Alfa
  3. Danny Nejad Khalil
    64 Khalil