title: Targeted medical therapy of biliary tract cancer: recent advances and future perspectives.
abstract: The limited efficacy of cytotoxic therapy for advanced biliary tract and gallbladder cancers emphasizes the need for novel and more effective medical treatment options. A better understanding of the specific biological features of these neoplasms led to the development of new targeted therapies, which take the abundant expression of several growth factors and cognate tyrosine kinase receptors into account. This review will briefly summarize the status and future perspectives of antiangiogenic and growth factor receptor-based pharmacological approaches for the treatment of biliary tract and gallbladder cancers. In view of multiple novel targeted approaches, the rationale for innovative therapies, such as combinations of growth factor (receptor)-targeting agents with cytotoxic drugs or with other novel anticancer drugs will be highlighted.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hopfner
authors.forename: Detlef
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schuppan
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Scherubl
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001661:Biliary Tract Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003603:Cytotoxins; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor