Horizons on the Therapy of Biliary Tract Cancers: A State-of-the-art Review

J Clin Transl Hepatol. 2021 Aug 28;9(4):559-567. doi: 10.14218/JCTH.2021.00007. Epub 2021 May 12.

Abstract

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) comprise a group of heterogeneous poor prognosis cancers with increasing incidence recent years. The combination chemotherapy with cisplatin and gemcitabine is the first-line therapy for advanced BTC. There remains no accepted standard treatment in the second-line setting. Nowadays, more and more novel treatment strategies have entered development, with some encouraging results being seen. Here, we review the current treatment status and clinical characteristics of BTC, the role of immunotherapy in BTC as well as the design of clinical trials for oncology drugs for BTC which aim to focus on the future profiles of clinical care and resolution of BTC.

Keywords: Biliary tract cancers; Clinical trials; Immunotherapy.

Publication types

  • Review