The annual incidence of hepatobiliary cancer has been steadily increasing in the USA from 15,000 in 1993 to 22,200 in 2000. Despite this increase, it still continues to be a rare neoplasm. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice, but a high percentage of patients are unsuitable for resection. These patients have a very poor prognosis because of the lack of efficacious therapy options. Thus, overall survival in these patients ranges from 3 to 12 months, depending on the extent of disease and its site of origin. For some time, mitomycin C, doxorubicin and 5-fluorouracil have been considered among the most active chemotherapeutic agents, with a response rate ranging from 10 to 20%. More recently, gemcitabine has become the reference agent for these neoplasias because of the histologically common origin of biliary cancer and exocrine pancreatic cancer. However, its role has yet to be well-defined. Here we examine clinical trials designed for locally advanced and metastatic biliary tract cancer and review the existing data supporting palliative therapy with gemcitabine alone or in association with other drugs.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.critrevonc.2006.04.006 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
The Role of Sulfatides in Liver Health and Disease.
Front Biosci (Landmark Ed)
January 2025
Department of Surgery, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Sulfatides or 3-O-sulfogalactosylceramide are negatively charged sulfated glycosphingolipids abundant in the brain and kidneys and play crucial roles in nerve impulse conduction and urinary pH regulation. Sulfatides are present in the liver, specifically in the biliary tract. Sulfatides are self-lipid antigens presented by cholangiocytes to activate cluster of differentiation 1d (CD1d)-restricted type II natural killer T (NKT) cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUsefulness of a TDM-Guided Approach for Optimizing Teicoplanin Exposure in the Treatment of Secondary Bloodstream Infections Caused by Glycopeptide-Susceptible .
Microorganisms
January 2025
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
To assess the clinical usefulness of teicoplanin optimized by means of a therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM)-guided approach for treating secondary bloodstream infections (BSIs) caused by . Hospitalized patients having in the period 1 March 2021-31 October 2024 a documented BSI caused by glycopeptide-susceptible being treated with teicoplanin as definitive targeted therapy optimized by means of a real-time TDM-guided expert clinical pharmacological advice (ECPA) program were retrospectively included. Teicoplanin trough concentrations (C) ranging from 20 to 30 mg/L were defined as the desired target of efficacy based on international guidelines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurrent Treatment Regimens and Promising Molecular Therapies for Chronic Hepatobiliary Diseases.
Biomolecules
January 2025
Institute for Biostructure and Bioimaging, National Research Council, Molecular Biotechnology Centre "Guido Tarone", 10126 Turin, Italy.
Chronic hepatobiliary damage progressively leads to fibrosis, which may evolve into cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma. The fight against the increasing incidence of liver-related morbidity and mortality is challenged by a lack of clinically validated early-stage biomarkers and the limited availability of effective anti-fibrotic therapies. Current research is focused on uncovering the pathogenetic mechanisms that drive liver fibrosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLipid Metabolism Alterations in Hyperlipidemic Dogs with Biliary Tract or Endocrine Diseases.
Animals (Basel)
January 2025
Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.
Fasting hyperlipidemia results from lipid metabolism defects associated with alterations in specific lipoprotein classes. These changes may originate from genetic predispositions or underlying metabolic disorders, including cholestasis and endocrine diseases. This retrospective study aimed to analyze variations in lipoprotein electrophoresis (LPE) profiles in hyperlipidemic dogs and investigate the associations between biliary tract diseases, endocrine disorders, and lipid metabolism.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInitial Use Experience of Durvalumab Plus Gemcitabine and Cisplatin for Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer in a Japanese Territory Center.
Cancers (Basel)
January 2025
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan.
Biliary tract cancers (BTCs), including gallbladder and bile duct cancers, have a poor prognosis. Recent advances in chemotherapy, such as using targeted drugs for specific gene mutations, have improved outcomes. Gemcitabine plus cisplatin chemotherapy has been the standard of care for the primary treatment of BTCs, but secondary treatment had not been established until recently.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!