title: Biliary tract cancer: a survey regarding the current oncological daily care practice in Germany.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The low incidence and the variable presentation complicate clinical investigations on biliary tract cancer. The results of Valle et al. in 2009 provided, for the first time, an evidence-based palliative treatment for this rare tumor type. So far no data are available in Germany regarding the current daily care practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  We started this national survey in May 2011, including about 3,400 members of the AIO (Working Group Medical Oncology), DGHO (German Society of Hematology and Oncology) and GGHBB (Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology in Berlin and Brandenburg). The standardized online form contained questions concerning field of action and diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Evaluation was conducted anonymously.
  
  
  RESULTS
  162 responses could be obtained, corresponding to a response rate of about 5%. 70.4% of the respondents were physicians in hospitals, 23.5% stated to work in private practices. 61.7% of the respondents were medical oncologists and 27.2% gastroenterologists. 52.5% of the participants pointed out to use the standard regimen of gemcitabine and cisplatin. For second-line regimen, the most frequent answer (29%) specified the administration of oxaliplatin in combination with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or capecitabine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This survey may help to clarify the current oncologic daily care procedures for patients with biliary tract cancer in Germany. The results can be helpful for further clinical investigations or the implementation of a tumor-specific register.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Hämatologie und Onkologie, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany. marianne.sinn@charite.de
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sinn
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bischoff
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nehls
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pelzer
authors.forename: Fritz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: von Weizsäcker
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kubicka
authors.forename: Jens M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Stieler
authors.forename: Karel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Caca
authors.forename: Hanno
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Riess
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001661:Biliary Tract Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil; D000093542:Gemcitabine