title: Identification of active chemotherapy regimens in advanced biliary tract carcinoma: a review of chemotherapy trials in the past two decades.
abstract: Biliary tract carcinoma is a rare malignancy. We performed a comprehensive analysis of published prospective clinical trials in advanced biliary tract carcinoma in an attempt to identify active regimens in this setting. We searched PubMed and abstracts presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Gastrointestinal Cancer Symposium, European Society of Medical Oncology and European Cancer Organization conferences for clinical trials in this disease. We found 83 trials. The effect of gemcitabine on overall survival benefit showed a strong trend (p = 0.014) and an improvement in progression-free survival (p = 0.003). Gemcitabine-based regimens containing 5-fluorouracil showed a trend toward an improved overall survival (p = 0.047) relative to platinum agents. Our findings support gemcitabine as the chemotherapy backbone for the treatment of patients with cholangiocarcinoma. Gemcitabine plus 5-fluorouracil combinations warrant further investigations.
authors: Gastrointestinal Malignanacies Section, Thoracic & GI-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors: Susanna V
authors: SV
authors: Ulahannan
authors: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
authors: Osama E
authors: OE
authors: Rahma
authors: Gastrointestinal Malignanacies Section, Thoracic & GI-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors: Austin G
authors: AG
authors: Duffy
authors: Gastrointestinal Malignanacies Section, Thoracic & GI-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors: Oxana V
authors: OV
authors: Makarova-Rusher
authors: Gastrointestinal Malignanacies Section, Thoracic & GI-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors: Metin
authors: M
authors: Kurtoglu
authors: Biostatistics & Data Management Section, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA.
authors: David J
authors: DJ
authors: Liewehr
authors: Biostatistics & Data Management Section, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA.
authors: Seth M
authors: SM
authors: Steinberg
authors: Gastrointestinal Malignanacies Section, Thoracic & GI-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors: Tim F
authors: TF
authors: Greten
keywords: biliary tract carcinoma; chemotherapy; cholangiocarcinoma; gallbladder carcinoma; treatment