Bile Duct Cancer Clinical Trials 2023

What Are Bile Duct Cancer Clinical Trials?

Bile duct cancer, or cholangiocarcinoma, is a rare type of cancer characterized by malignant tumor growth anywhere in the bile ducts. Depending on where it develops, bile duct cancer can be divided into three different types and has an overall survival rate of merely 9%. Bile duct clinical trials are scientific investigations of various anti-cancer drugs and treatments, their safety, efficacy, and after-effects, with the goal of finding the best cancer treatment.

Why Is Bile Duct Cancer Being Studied Through Clinical Trials?

Since bile duct cancer is rare, it’s not been studied enough. Clinical trials are a way to improve our understanding of this rare type of cancer and find appropriate treatments for different types and stages of bile duct cancer.

What Are The Types of Treatments Available For Bile Duct Cancer?

There are multiple treatments available for bile duct cancer. The healthcare providers must choose the right procedure from them, depending on the type, location, and severity of cancer in each patient. All in all, bile duct cancer treatments can be grouped into the following categories:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Targeted Therapy
• Immunotherapy
• Palliative Therapy
• Liver Transplant

What Are Some Recent Breakthrough Clinical Trials For Bile Duct Cancer?

2023: The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of the drug Durvalumab with cisplatin and gemcitabine for treating locally advanced or metastasized biliary tract cancers. A large-scale clinical trial called TPOPAZ-1, conducted earlier this year had established the efficacy of the drug for treating the rare but aggressive form of cancer.

2023: A researcher from the Wilmot Cancer Institute has identified the gene mutations responsible for triggering the growth of bile duct cancer. The research study, published in Cell Reports, found that mutations in Arid1a and Kras genes (particularly the former) suppress pathways that naturally shut down the tumor activity in the body. Thus, allowing the mutations to spread, eventually leading to the growth of cholangiocarcinoma.

2020: The FDA issued accelerated approval for Pemazyre for treating advanced cholangiocarcinoma in adults. The drug was the first targeted treatment for bile duct cancer.

Who Are Some Of The Key Opinion Leaders / Researchers / Institutions Conducting Bile Duct Cancer Clinical Trial Research?

Aram Hezel, M.D., - The Chief of the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Rochester, has discovered important information on how gene mutations trigger and fuel the growth of cancer in the bile ducts, providing a better understanding of this rare but aggressive type of cancer. The goal of his research was to find data to manufacture a drug that could stop cancer growth by reversing the mutated Arid1a cancer gene to normal functioning.

National Cancer Institute: It’s the US government agency that leads research and training for all types of cancer.