title: Systemic therapy of cholangiocarcinoma: From chemotherapy to targeted therapies.
abstract: Cholangiocarcinomas (CCA) are rare tumors of the liver with poor prognosis. The standard of care in patients with unresectable tumors or metastatic disease is combination chemotherapy (CT) with gemcitabine and cisplatin. Targeted therapies inhibiting EGFR, VEGF, MEK and others are broadly tested in CCA but to date, the existing data from randomized and nonrandomized trials do not justify the application of small molecules outside of clinical trials. In clinical practice, many patients receive second-line CT after failure of gemcitabine/cisplatin, although there is so far no evidence to support second-line CT. This review summarizes current chemotherapy protocols and ongoing studies, including conventional chemotherapy and targeted therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endcrinology, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schweitzer
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endcrinology, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: vogel.arndt@mh-hannover.de.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vogel
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000473:pathology*; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Biliary tract cancer; Chemotherapy; Cholangiocarcinoma; Gemcitabine; Targeted therapy