Radiotherapy is associated with improved survival in adjuvant and palliative treatment of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2009;74:1191-1198. [PMID: 19201549 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2008.09.017]

Practice guidelines for managing extrahepatic biliary tract cancers

Backgrounds/Aims

Reported incidence of extrahepatic bile duct cancer is higher in Asians than in Western populations. Korea, in particular, is one of the countries with the highest incidence rates of extrahepatic bile duct cancer in the world. Although research and innovative therapeutic modalities for extrahepatic bile duct cancer are emerging, clinical guidelines are currently unavailable in Korea. The Korean Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery in collaboration with related societies (Korean Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery Society, Korean Society of Abdominal Radiology, Korean Society of Medical Oncology, Korean Society of Radiation Oncology, Korean Society of Pathologists, and Korean Society of Nuclear Medicine) decided to establish clinical guideline for extrahepatic bile duct cancer in June 2021.

Methods

Contents of the guidelines were developed through subgroup meetings for each key question and a preliminary draft was finalized through a Clinical Guidelines Committee workshop.

Results

In November 2021, the finalized draft was presented for public scrutiny during a formal hearing.

Conclusions

The extrahepatic guideline committee believed that this guideline could be helpful in the treatment of patients.

Neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy for biliary tract cancer: Advances and limitations

Biliary tract cancers (BTC) are a rare and aggressive consortium of malignancies, consisting of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and gallbladder carcinoma. While most patients present with metastatic disease, a minority of patients with BTC are eligible for curative surgical resection at the time of presentation. However, these patients have poor 5-year overall survival rates and high rates of recurrence, necessitating the improvement of the neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment of BTC. In this review, we assess the neoadjuvant and adjuvant clinical trials for the treatment of BTC and discuss the challenges and limitations of clinical trials, as well as future directions for the treatment of BTC.

Proton beam therapy for extrahepatic biliary tract cancer: Analysis with prospective multi-institutional patients' registration database, Proton-Net

Background and purpose

To examine the role of proton beam therapy (PBT) in the treatment of extrahepatic biliary tract cancer (EBC).

Methods and materials

We analyzed the data accumulated in the Proton-Net database, which prospectively registered all individual patient data treated with PBT in all Japanese proton institutions from May 2016 to June 2019. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), and the secondary endpoints were local control (LC), progression-free survival (PFS), and toxicity.

Results

Ninety-three patients with unresectable and/or recurrent EBC were treated with PBT using a median prescribed dose of 67.5 Gy (RBE) (range, 50-72.6 Gy) in 25 (22-30 fractions). With a median follow-up of 16.3 months, the median survival time was 20.1 months and the 2-year OS was 37.8%. Two-year PFS and LC rates were 20.6% and 66.5%, respectively. Poor liver function (Child-Pugh B, C), a narrower distance between the tumor and digestive tract (2 cm >), and a larger tumor diameter (2 cm <) were identified as poor prognostic factors for OS. PBT-related grade 3 ≤ acute and late adverse events occurred in 5.4% and 4.3% of patients, respectively, including one gastrointestinal late toxicity (duodenal ulcer).

Conclusions

This is the largest prospectively accumulated series of PBT for EBC, and PBT showed favorable outcomes with acceptable toxicity profiles.

Adjuvant Chemoradiation in Patients with Lymph Node-Positive Biliary Tract Cancers: Secondary Analysis of a Single-Arm Clinical Trial (SWOG 0809)

BACKGROUND

SWOG 0809 is the only prospective study of adjuvant chemotherapy followed by chemoradiation focusing on margin status in patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHCC) and gallbladder cancer (GBCA); however, the effects of adjuvant therapy by nodal status have never been reported in this population.

METHODS

Patients with resected EHCC and GBCA, stage pT2-4, node-positive (N+) or margin-positive (R1) who completed four cycles of chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy were included. Cox regression was used to compare overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), local recurrence, and distant metastasis by nodal status. DFS rates were compared with historical data via a one-sample t-test.

RESULTS

Sixty-nine patients [EHCC, n = 46 (66%); GBCA, n = 23 (33%)] were evaluated, with a median age of 61.7 years and an R0 rate of 66.7% and R1 rate of 33.3%. EHCC versus GBCA was more likely to be N+ (73.9% vs. 47.8%, p = 0.03). Nodal status did not significantly impact OS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.86-4.54, p = 0.11) or DFS (HR 1.63, 95% CI 0.77-3.44, p = 0.20). Two-year OS was 70.6% for node-negative (N0) disease and 60.9% for N+ disease, while 2-year DFS was 62.5% for N0 tumors and 49.8% for N+ tumors. N+ versus N0 tumors showed higher rates of distant failure (42.2% vs. 25.0%, p = 0.04). The 2-year DFS rate in N+ tumors was significantly higher than in historical controls (49.8% vs. 29.7%, p = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

Adjuvant therapy is associated with favorable outcome independent of nodal status and may impact local control in N+ patients. These data could serve as a benchmark for future adjuvant trials, including molecular-targeted agents.

Development and validation of a nomogram to predict cancer-specific survival with unresected cholangiocarcinoma undergoing external radiotherapy

Objective

To analyze the prognostic factors of patients with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) who were unresected and received radiotherapy to establish a nomogram model for the prediction of patient cancer-specific survival (CSS).

Methods

Suitable patient cases were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, prognostic factors were analyzed by Lasso, Cox regression, and nomogram was developed based on independent prognostic factors to predict 6 and 12 months CSS. The consistency index (C-index), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were tested for the predictive efficacy of the model, respectively.

Results

The primary site, tumor size, T-stage, M-stage, and chemotherapy (P < 0.05) were identified as independent risk factors after Cox and Lasso regression analysis. Patients in training cohort had a 6 months CSS rates was 68.6 ± 2.6%, a 12-month CSS rates was 49.0 ± 2.8%. The median CSS time of 12.00 months (95% CI: 10.17-13.83 months). The C-index was 0.664 ± 0.039 for the training cohort and 0.645 ± 0.042 for the validation cohort. The nomogram predicted CSS and demonstrated satisfactory and consistent predictive performance in 6 (73.4 vs. 64.9%) and 12 months (72.2 vs. 64.9%), respectively. The external validation calibration plot is shown AUC for 6- and 12-month compared with AJCC stage was (71.2 vs. 63.0%) and (65.9 vs. 59.8%). Meanwhile, the calibration plot of the nomogram for the probability of CSS at 6 and 12 months indicates that the actual and nomogram predict that the CSS remains largely consistent. DCA showed that using a nomogram to predict CSS results in better clinical decisions compared to the AJCC staging system.

Conclusion

A nomogram model based on clinical prognostic characteristics can be used to provide CSS prediction reference for patients with CCA who have not undergone surgery but have received radiotherapy.

A Case Report of Primary Unresectable Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma Causing Colonic Obstruction Due to Peritoneal Dissemination

Although surgical resection is the only available treatment to achieve long-term survival in biliary tract cancer, many cases are often identified at an advanced stage at the time of diagnosis. Radiotherapy may be an alternative option to prolong survival in cases with locally advanced unresectable disease. While there are some reports of long-term survival after radiotherapy for unresectable biliary tract cancer, it is rare that clinical symptoms are exhibited by peritoneal dissemination more than 8 years after radiotherapy and that resection can be performed. Our case was a 55-year-old female who had visited with a complaint of jaundice and was diagnosed with primary unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma. She received definitve chemoradiotherapy, and repeated receiving maintenance chemotherapy thereafter until clinical manifestation. During follow-up, she was diagnosed with stenosis of the sigmoid colon, which was attributed to peritoneal dissemination of cholangiocarcinoma. We herein report a rare case of primary unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma after chemoradiotherapy which was followed by chemotherapy that was controlled for more than 8 years but eventually caused colonic obstruction attributed to peritoneal dissemination.

Adjuvant Radiotherapy for Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: A Quality Assessment-Based Meta-Analysis

INTRODUCTION

The benefits of adjuvant radiotherapy (ART) for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma are uncertain largely because existing publications lack clear comparisons between ART and non-ART arms.

METHODS

PubMed, Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane library were systematically searched until December 2020. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Sensitivity analysis was performed for studies with reliable comparability (i.e., no favorable prognosticators in the ART arm that could skew the data).

RESULTS

Twenty-three studies involving 1,731 patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma were reviewed. The overall median of all median prescribed doses was 50.4 Gy; brachytherapy or an intraoperative boost of 10-21 Gy was applied in 5 studies. The pooled 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates in the non-ART and ART arms were 69.2% versus 81.0%, p = 0.035; 34.3% versus 44.7%, p = 0.025; 25.6% versus 31.7%, p = 0.115, respectively. The corresponding pooled locoregional recurrence rates were 52.1% versus 34.9% (p = 0.014). The pooled rate of grade ≥3 gastrointestinal complications was 9.8%. Sensitivity analysis performed on 14 eligible studies showed that the ART arms had a lower pooled R0 rate (36.8% vs. 63.2%, p = 0.02) and a higher rate of positive lymph nodes (47.4% vs. 34.9%, p = 0.08). The pooled 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates in the non-ART versus ART arms of the selected studies were 78.2% versus 84.9%, p = 0.143; 38.5% versus 49.2%, p = 0.026; and 27.8% versus 34.5%, p = 0.11, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

ART was shown to improve OS in all studies and in those selected for their reliable comparability.

Examining the Use of Radiation Therapy for Cholangiocarcinoma: Benefits through Modern Techniques

BACKGROUND

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a rare malignant tumor of the bile duct epithelium. At first diagnosis, only a minority of patients are eligible for surgery, which is regarded as the only curative treatment. This study examines the role of radiation therapy (RT) and chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in the definitive and adjuvant treatment situation.

METHODS

The monocentric, retrospective analysis included 39 patients with CCA undergoing 53 RT courses. Data were collected from January 2005 to September 2018. There were 11 cases of CRT, 6 of which were definitive. Surgery was either palliative (n = 6) or radical (n = 15).

RESULTS

After RT, the median overall survival (OS) was 10.4 months (m), median progression-free survival was 5.6 m, and median duration of local control (DOLC) was 8.9 m. There was a significant difference in survival between patients with and without locoregional lymph node metastasis (OS: 4.3 vs. 15.4 m, p = 0.031). After treatment of a primary tumor, DOLC was about twice as long as in the recurrent situation (10.4 vs. 5.4 m, p = 0.032). Conservative therapy significantly elevated the risk of local recurrence compared to radical surgery in univariate and multivariate analyses. Side effects were mostly classified as mild to moderate. Termination of RT and increased alanine aminotransferase were significantly less frequent after stereotactic body radiation therapy and hypofractionation.

CONCLUSION

RT can achieve local control in patients with CCA. Toxicities of RT are manageable but require close clinical and laboratory follow-up.

Adjuvant systemic treatment in resected biliary tract cancer: State of the art, controversies, and future directions

Biliary tract cancer (BTC) includes a heterogeneous group of aggressive malignancies comprising gallbladder cancer (GBC), ampulla of Vater cancer (AVC), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (eCCA). Unfortunately, potentially curative resection is possible in approximately the 25% of presenting patients, and relapse rates are high, with a notable proportion of BTCs experiencing disease recurrence. Recent years have seen the publication of several prospective clinical trials evaluating the role of adjuvant systemic treatments, and among these, the phase III BILCAP study provided evidence supporting the use of capecitabine after radical surgery in BTC patients; in fact, although the study failed to meet its primary endpoint, the capecitabine arm showed improved clinical outcomes in terms of overall survival (pre-planned sensitivity analysis in the intention-to-treat population and in the per-protocol analysis) and relapse-free survival. However, the BILCAP has been widely criticized, with several authors that have not accepted adjuvant capecitabine as novel standard of care. In this review, we summarize current state of the art regarding adjuvant systemic treatment in BTC, highlighting advantages and disadvantages of recent clinical trials, and suggesting new research directions in this setting.

Chemoradiotherapy for patients with locally advanced or unresectable extra-hepatic biliary cancer

Background

Although surgical resection is the preferred curative-intent treatment option for patients with non-metastatic, extra-hepatic biliary cancer (EBC), radiotherapy (RT) or chemoradiotherapy (CRT) may be utilized in select cases when surgical resection is not feasible. The purpose of this study is to report the efficacy and adverse events (AEs) associated with CRT for patients with locally advanced and unresectable EBC.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with EBC, including extra-hepatic cholangiocarcinoma or gallbladder cancer, deemed inoperable who received RT between 1998 and 2018. The median RT dose was 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions and 94% received concurrent 5-fluorouracil. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) from the start of RT. The cumulative incidence of local progression (LP), locoregional progression (LRP), and distant metastasis (DM) were reported with death as a competing risk. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess for correlation between patient and treatment characteristics and outcomes.

Results

Forty-eight patients were included for analysis. The median OS was 12.0 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.3-73.2 months]. The 2-, 3-, and 5-year OS were 33% (95% CI: 22-50%), 20% (95% CI: 11-36%), and 7% (95% CI: 2-20%), respectively. The 2-year PFS, LP, LRP, and DM were 21% (95% CI: 12-36%), 27% (95% CI: 17-44%), 31% (95% CI: 20-48%), and 33% (95% CI: 22-50%), respectively. On univariate analysis, biologically effective dose (BED) >59.5 Gy₁₀ was associated with improved OS [hazard ratio (HR): 0.40, 95% CI: 0.18-0.92, P=0.03] and PFS (HR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.16-0.84, P=0.02) and primary tumor size (per 1 cm increase) was associated with worsened PFS (HR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.02-1.63, P=0.04). BED >59.5 Gy₁₀ remained associated with PFS on multivariate analysis (HR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.15-0.78, P=0.01). Treatment-related grade 3+ acute and late gastrointestinal AEs occurred in 13% and 17% of patients, respectively.

Conclusions

RT is associated with 3- and 5-year survival in a subset of patients with unresectable EBC. Further exploration of the role of RT as part of a multi-modality curative treatment strategy is warranted.

The Evolving Role of Radiation Therapy in the Treatment of Biliary Tract Cancer

Biliary tract cancers (BTC) are a disease entity comprising diverse epithelial tumors, which are categorized according to their anatomical location as intrahepatic (iCCA), perihilar (pCCA), distal (dCCA) cholangiocarcinomas, and gallbladder carcinomas (GBC), with distinct epidemiology, biology, and prognosis. Complete surgical resection is the mainstay in operable BTC as it is the only potentially curative treatment option. Nevertheless, even after curative (R0) resection, the 5-year survival rate ranges between 20 and 40% and the disease free survival rates (DFS) is approximately 48–65% after one year and 23–35% after three years without adjuvant treatment. Improvements in adjuvant chemotherapy have improved the DFS, but the role of adjuvant radiotherapy is unclear. On the other hand, more than 50% of the patients present with unresectable disease at the time of diagnosis, which limits the prognosis to a few months without treatment. Herein, we review the role of radiotherapy in the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma in the curative and palliative setting.

Clinical practice guidelines for the management of biliary tract cancers 2019: The 3rd English edition

BACKGROUND

The Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery launched the clinical practice guidelines for the management of biliary tract cancers (cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder cancer, and ampullary cancer) in 2007, then published the 2nd version in 2014.

METHODS

In this 3rd version, clinical questions (CQs) were proposed on six topics. The recommendation, grade for recommendation, and statement for each CQ were discussed and finalized by an evidence-based approach. Recommendations were graded as Grade 1 (strong) or Grade 2 (weak) according to the concepts of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system.

RESULTS

The 31 CQs covered the six topics: (a) prophylactic treatment, (b) diagnosis, (c) biliary drainage, (d) surgical treatment, (e) chemotherapy, and (f) radiation therapy. In the 31 CQs, 14 recommendations were rated strong and 14 recommendations weak. The remaining three CQs had no recommendation. Each CQ includes a statement of how the recommendations were graded.

CONCLUSIONS

This latest guideline provides recommendations for important clinical aspects based on evidence. Future collaboration with the cancer registry will be key for assessing the guidelines and establishing new evidence.

Italian Clinical Practice Guidelines on Cholangiocarcinoma - Part II: Treatment

Currently, the only curative treatment for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is surgical resection, though this treatment is possible in less than 40% of patients. However, recent improvements in preoperative management have led to a higher number of patients who are candidates for this procedure. For unresectable patients, progress is ongoing in terms of locoregional and chemoradiation treatments and target therapies, especially in the definition of patient selection criteria. This is the second part of the Italian CCA guidelines, dealing with CCA treatment, that have been formulated in accordance with Italian National Institute of Health indications and developed according to the GRADE method and related advancements.

Role of adjuvant (chemo)radiotherapy for resected extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Adjuvant (chemo)radiotherapy (A(C)RT) may be an important supplement to surgery for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHCC). However, whether all patients would achieve benefits from A(C)RT and which adjuvant regimen, adjuvant radiotherapy (ART) or adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (ACRT), would be preferred, are still undetermined. The low incidence of EHCC makes it difficult to carry out randomized controlled trials (RCTs); therefore, almost all clinical studies on radiotherapy are retrospective. We have conducted a meta-analysis of these retrospective studies.

METHODS

We conducted a meta-analysis of current retrospective studies using PubMed, Embase, and ClinicalTrials databases. All studies published in English that were related to A(C)RT and which analyzed overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), or locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS) were included. Estimated hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated for OS, DFS, and LRFS.

RESULTS

Data from eight studies including 685 patients were included. Our analysis showed that A(C)RT significantly improved OS (HR 0.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.48-0.97, P=0.03), DFS (HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.47-0.76, P<0.0001), and LRFS (HR 0.27, 95% CI 0.17-0.41, P<0.00001) of EHCC overall. In subgroups, patients with microscopically positive resection margin (R1) could achieve a benefit from A(C)RT (HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.27-0.72, P=0.001). No statistically OS difference was observed in negative resection margin (R0) subgroup (HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.30-3.19, P=0.98).Significant OS benefit was found in patients who received concurrent ACRT (HR 0.40, 95% CI 0.26-0.62, P<0.0001), while the result of ART without chemotherapy showed no significant benefit (HR 1.14, 95% CI 0.29-4.50, P=0.85). In the distal cholangiocarcinoma subgroup, no significant difference was seen when ACRT and ART were included (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.14-2.72, P=0.52), but a significant difference was seen when analyzing the concurrent ACRT only (HR 0.29, 95% CI 0.13-0.64, P=0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

A(C)RT may improve OS, DFS, and LRFS in EHCC patients, especially in those with R1 resection margins. ACRT may be superior to ART especially in distal patients.

Current standards and future perspectives in adjuvant treatment for biliary tract cancers

Biliary tract cancer, including cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and gallbladder cancer (GBC) are rare tumours with a rising incidence. Prognosis is poor, since most patients are diagnosed with advanced disease. Only ~20% of patients are diagnosed with early-stage disease, suitable for curative surgery. Despite surgery performed with potentially-curative intent, relapse rates are high, with around 60-70% of patients expected to have disease recurrence. Most relapses occur in the form of distant metastases, with a predominance of liver spread. In view of high tumour recurrence, adjuvant strategies have been explored for many years, in the form of radiotherapy, chemo-radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Historically, few randomised trials were available, which included a variety of additional tumours (e.g. pancreatic and ampullary tumours); most evidence relied on phase II and retrospective studies, with no high-quality evidence available to define the real benefit derived from adjuvant strategies. Since 2017, three randomised phase III clinical trials have been reported; all recruited patients with resected biliary tract cancer (CCA and GBC) who were randomised to observation alone, or chemotherapy in the form of gemcitabine (BCAT study; included patients diagnosed with extrahepatic CCA only), gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (PRODIGE-12/ACCORD-18; included patients diagnosed with CCA and GBC) or capecitabine (BILCAP; included patients diagnosed with CCA and GBC). While gemcitabine-based chemotherapy failed to show an impact on patient outcome (relapse-free survival (RFS) or overall survival (OS)), the BILCAP study showed a benefit from adjuvant capecitabine in terms of OS (pre-planned sensitivity analysis in the intention-to-treat population and in the per-protocol analysis), with confirmed benefit in terms of RFS. Based on the BILCAP trial, international guidelines recommend adjuvant capecitabine for a period of six months following potentially curative resection of CCA as the current standard of care for resected CCA and GBC. However, BILCAP failed to show OS benefit in the intention-to-treat (non-sensitivity analysis) population (primary end-point), and this finding, as well as some inconsistencies between studies has been criticised and has led to confusion in the biliary tract cancer medical community. This review summarises the adjuvant field in biliary tract cancer, with evidence before and after 2017, and comparison between the latest randomised phase III studies. Potential explanations are presented for differential findings, and future steps are explored.

A meta-analysis of the efficacy of postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy versus no radiotherapy for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma

Objective

The benefit of adjuvant radiotherapy (ART) for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHCC) and gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is unclear, with conflicting results from nonrandomized studies. We reported a meta-analysis to determine the impact of adjuvant radiotherapy on survival.

Methods

PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and CNKI databases were searched to identify clinical trials of postoperative ART versus no radiotherapy for EHCC and GBC. The obtained data were analyzed using RevMan 5.3 and Stata 14.0 statistical software. Differences between two groups were estimated by calculating the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results

A total of 21 clinical trials involving 1465 EHCC and GBC patients were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and included in this meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed the following: The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was higher in the ART group than in the no radiotherapy group (OR = 0.63; 95% CI = 0.50–0.81, p = 0.0002). The 5-year OS rate was significantly higher for those with lymph node-positive disease (OR = 0.15; 95% CI 0.07–0.35; p < 0.00001) and margin-positive disease (OR = 0.40; 95% CI 0.19–0.85; p = 0.02) in the ART group than in the no radiotherapy group. ART had a tendency to bring benefit to the 5-year OS of patients with margin-negative disease but the difference was not statistically significant (OR = 0.57, 95% CI 0.30–1,07, p = 0.08). The local recurrence rate was significantly lower in the ART group than in the no radiotherapy group (OR = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.38–0.76, p = 0.0004), and there was no significant difference in the distant metastasis rate between the two groups (OR = 1.33; 95% CI = 0.95–1.87, p = 0.10).

Conclusions

A meta-analysis of the existing study results showed that compared with no radiotherapy, ART is an effective postoperative treatment for EHCC and GBC.

Clinical Outcomes Using Magnetic Resonance-Guided Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy in Patients With Locally Advanced Cholangiocarcinoma

Purpose

Previous studies have shown that stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR) increases local control for cholangiocarcinoma, but gastrointestinal toxicity resulting from this treatment approach remains a concern. SABR using magnetic resonance–guided radiation therapy (MRgRT) may improve the therapeutic ratio of treatment for cholangiocarcinoma patients given the radiosensitivity of neighboring gastrointestinal organs.

Methods

Seventeen consecutive patients with unresectable locally advanced cholangiocarcinoma were treated with SABR using MRgRT between May 2015 and August 2017, subsequent to our previously reported series of patients treated using a standard Linac with cone beam computed tomography. Twelve patients presented with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and 5 patients with intrahepatic tumors. MRgRT-based SABR was administered at a median dose of 40 Gy in 5 fractions.

Results

The median overall survival (OS) was 18.5 months, with a 1-year OS of 76% and 2-year OS of 46.1%. Three of the 17 patients progressed locally, yielding a 1-year local control of 85.6% and a 2-year local control of 73.3%. Although 12 of 17 patients experienced an acute grade 1 toxicity, none experienced acute grade 2 toxicities. One patient had an acute grade 3 duodenal ulcer with perforation (6%), and one patient had a late radiation-related toxicity grade 2 gastritis/colitis.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate diminished toxicity and excellent overall survival and local control. The clinical outcomes and safety profile of SABR delivered with MRgRT suggest that MRgRT is a promising treatment approach for treating cholangiocarcinoma.

Treatment and survival of resected and unresected distal cholangiocarcinoma: a nationwide study

Background: Population-based data on distal cholangiocarcinoma (DCC) from the Western world are not available, albeit essential to identify areas for improvement. This study investigated the incidence, treatment and outcomes, including time trends and predictors for survival, in a nationwide cohort of DCC. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with DCC (2009-2016) derived from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Overall survival (OS) and its predictors were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis. Time trends (2009-2012 versus 2013-2016) were assessed. Results: Overall, 1338 patients with DCC were included, with 1-, 3- and 5-year OS of 46%, 18%, and 11%. Incidence of DCC was 0.55-0.90 per 100.000 per year. Median OS was 10.4 months across all stages; 21.9 months for resected (n = 620, 46.3%), 6.7 months for unresected nonmetastatic (n = 445, 33.3%), and 3.6 months for metastatic DCC (n = 273, 20.4%) (p < .001). After resection, 30-day mortality was 4.8% and 90-day mortality 7.7%. Patients with metastatic DCC who received chemotherapy (n = 78, 28.6%) had a median OS of 8.2 versus 2.8 months for those not treated (p < .001). Over time, resection rates (53.6% to 61.7%, p = .008) and use of palliative chemotherapy in metastatic DCC (22.3% to 32.9%, p = .05) increased, without improvement in OS (10.3 vs 10.6 months, p = .55). Independent poor prognostic factors for OS in resected disease were increasing age, pT3/T4 stage, higher lymph node ratio, poor differentiation, and R1 resection. Conclusions: In a nationwide cohort of DCC, resection rates and the use of chemotherapy increased whereas OS remained stable at 10.4 months.

Radiation therapy for extrahepatic bile duct cancer: Current evidences and future perspectives

Extrahepatic bile duct cancer (EBDC) is a rare malignancy that involves neoplastic changes extending from both hepatic ducts to the common bile duct. The treatment of choice is surgical resection, but the predominant pattern of initial treatment failure is locoregional recurrence. Accordingly, adjuvant radiotherapy has been administered after surgical resection based on these rationales. At this time, there is minimal evidence supporting adjuvant radiotherapy, because there have been no phase III trials evaluating its benefit. Relatively small retrospective studies have tried to compare outcomes associated with EBDC treated with or without radiotherapy. We aimed to review studies investigating adjuvant radiotherapy for resected EBDC. Because less than one-third of EBDC cases are amenable to curative resection at diagnosis, other locoregional treatment modalities need to be considered, including radiotherapy. The next aim of this review was to summarize reports of definitive radiotherapy for unresectable EBDC. Patients with advanced EBDC often experience biliary obstruction, which can lead to jaundice and progress to death. Biliary stent insertion is an important palliative procedure, but stents are prone to occlusion after subsequent ingrowth of the EBDC. Radiotherapy can be effective for maintaining the patency of inserted stents. We also reviewed the benefit of palliative radiotherapy combined with the biliary stent insertion. Lastly, we discuss the existing gaps in the evidence supporting radiotherapy in the management of EBDC.

Radiation for Palliation: Role of Palliative Radiotherapy in Allevieating Pain/Symptoms in a Prospective Observational Study at Two Tertiary Care Centers

Purpose

Approximately one-third of patients attending the tertiary care center require palliative management. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of palliative radiation in alleviating the pain and symptoms and improvement in quality of life (QOL).

Methods

This was a prospective study aimed to evaluate patients attending two oncology centers and those who require palliative radiation. During 3 years, 1365 patients attended radiation oncology center for various malignancies. Of these patients, 304 patients were treated with palliative radiation for various indications. These patients were followed up for a period of up to 6 months for symptom relief and improved QOL.

Results

About 22% of patients received palliative radiation primarily for carcinoma lung, breast, and prostate malignancy. Analysis revealed elderly patients in the age group of 50-70 being the most commonly affected and most common presentation was pain, swelling, and headache. The most common site of metastases was bone including the spine and brain. Most commonly employed schedule of palliative radiation was 30 Gy in 10 fractions and 20 Gy in 5 fractions. Patients responded well to palliative radiation and had improved pain relief and QOL.

Conclusions

Palliative radiation is an important part of the management of cancer care and when given improves QOL, and significant pain relief.

Adjuvant Therapy for Biliary Tract Cancers

Biliary tract cancers, including gallbladder cancer, intrahepatic, perihilar, and distal cholangiocarcinomas, although anatomically contiguous, represent a heterogeneous group of cancers with extensive biologic and genetic diversity. With early disease, surgical resection is the preferred option for all subtypes; however, relapse rates remain high, and survival outcomes are poor. Data to guide the use of adjuvant therapy have been limited to retrospective series, population-based studies, and meta-analyses, all with their associated limitations. The number of prospective trials ongoing or completed is increasing, and these results will ultimately dictate optimal treatment of this group of diseases. This review summarizes the data for adjuvant therapy in biliary tract cancers.

Protocol for the STRONG trial: stereotactic body radiation therapy following chemotherapy for unresectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, a phase I feasibility study

INTRODUCTION

For patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), surgery is the only treatment modality that can result in cure. Unfortunately, in the majority of these patients, the tumours are found to be unresectable at presentation due to either local invasive tumour growth or the presence of distant metastases. For patients with unresectable CCA, palliative chemotherapy is the standard treatment yielding an estimated median overall survival (OS) of 12-15.2 months. There is no evidence from randomised trials to support the use of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for CCA. However, small and most often retrospective studies combining chemotherapy with SBRT have shown promising results with OS reaching up to 33-35 months.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This study has been designed as a single-centre phase I feasibility trial and will investigate the addition of SBRT after standard chemotherapy in patients with unresectable perihilar CCA (T1-4 N0-1 M0). A total of six patients will be included. SBRT will be delivered in 15 fractions of 3-4.5 Gy (risk adapted). The primary objective of this study is to determine feasibility and toxicity. Secondary outcomes include local tumour control, progression-free survival (PFS), OS and quality of life. Length of follow-up will be 2 years. As an ancillary study, the personalised effects of radiotherapy will be measured in vitro, in patient-derived tumour and bile duct organoid cultures.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethics approval for the STRONG trial has been granted by the Medical Ethics Committee of Erasmus MC Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It is estimated that all patients will be included between October 2017 and October 2018. The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal, and presented at national and international conferences.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03307538; Pre-results.

Dose escalation of radiotherapy in unresectable extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Purpose

To evaluate the effect of escalated dose radiation therapy (EDR, defined as doses >50.4 Gy in 28 fractions [59.5 Gy BED]) on overall survival (OS), freedom from local progression (FFLP), and freedom from distant progression (FFDP) of patients with unresectable extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHCC).

Methods

A consecutive cohort of 80 patients who underwent radiotherapy for unresectable EHCC from 2001 to 2015 was identified. Demographic, tumor, treatment, toxicity, and laboratory variables were collected. The maximal RT doses ranged from 30 to 75 Gy (median 50.4 Gy, at 1.8‐4.5 Gy/fraction). Gross tumor volume (GTV) coverage by maximal dose in EDR group ranged from 38% to 100%. Kaplan–Meier method was used to estimate OS, FFLP, and FFDP. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were analyzed.

Results

After radiotherapy, median OS, FFLP, and FFDP were 18.7, 22.6, and 24.3 months, respectively. There was no significant difference in OS or FFLP between patients who received EDR to portions of the GTV and patients who did not. On multivariate analysis, bigger GTV, age, and ECOG performance status were independently associated with shorter OS. Local progression on chemotherapy prior to RT was independently associated with shorter FFLP. High baseline neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (>5.3) was independently associated with shorter FFDP. Toxicity grades were similar in EDR and lower doses except lymphopenia which was higher in EDR (P = 0.053).

Conclusions

EDR to selective portions of the GTV may not benefit patients with unresectable EHCC despite having acceptable toxicity. New methods to improve local control and survival for unresectable EHCC are needed.

Cholangiocarcinoma - evolving concepts and therapeutic strategies

Cholangiocarcinoma is a disease entity comprising diverse epithelial tumours with features of cholangiocyte differentiation: cholangiocarcinomas are categorized according to anatomical location as intrahepatic (iCCA), perihilar (pCCA), or distal (dCCA). Each subtype has a distinct epidemiology, biology, prognosis, and strategy for clinical management. The incidence of cholangiocarcinoma, particularly iCCA, has increased globally over the past few decades. Surgical resection remains the mainstay of potentially curative treatment for all three disease subtypes, whereas liver transplantation after neoadjuvant chemoradiation is restricted to a subset of patients with early stage pCCA. For patients with advanced-stage or unresectable disease, locoregional and systemic chemotherapeutics are the primary treatment options. Improvements in external-beam radiation therapy have facilitated the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma. Moreover, advances in comprehensive whole-exome and transcriptome sequencing have defined the genetic landscape of each cholangiocarcinoma subtype. Accordingly, promising molecular targets for precision medicine have been identified, and are being evaluated in clinical trials, including those exploring immunotherapy. Biomarker-driven trials, in which patients are stratified according to anatomical cholangiocarcinoma subtype and genetic aberrations, will be essential in the development of targeted therapies. Targeting the rich tumour stroma of cholangiocarcinoma in conjunction with targeted therapies might also be useful. Herein, we review the evolving developments in the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and management of cholangiocarcinoma.

Diagnosis and Management of Intrahepatic and Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinomas (CC) are rare tumors which usually present late and are often difficult to diagnose and treat. CCs are categorized as intrahepatic, hilar, or extrahepatic. Epidemiologic studies suggest that the incidence of intrahepatic CCs may be increasing worldwide. In this chapter, we review the risk factors, clinical presentation, and management of cholangiocarcinoma.

Locoregional therapies in cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare and aggressive malignancy of the biliary tract. Complete surgical resection can be curative, but the majority of patients are diagnosed with advanced disease and usually die within a year of diagnosis. Most deaths are attributable to local disease progression rather than distant metastases, supporting the use of locoregional therapies. There is evidence that locoregional therapies can provide local tumor control resulting in increased survival while avoiding some of the side effects of systemic treatments, increasing potential treatment options for patients who may be unsuitable for systemic palliative treatments. This review considers the evidence for locoregional therapies in cholangiocarcinoma, which can be classified into endoscopic, vascular, percutaneous and radiation oncological therapies. Current guidelines do not recommend the routine use of locoregional therapies due to a lack of prospective data, but the results of ongoing trials are likely to increase the evidence base and impact on clinical practice.

Clinical analysis of cholangiocarcinoma patients receiving adjuvant radiotherapy

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) or bile duct cancer is a rare cancer type in developed countries, while its prevalence is increased in southeast Asia, affecting ~33.4 men and ~12.3 women per 100,000 individuals. CCA is one of the most lethal types of cancer. Neo-adjuvant and adjuvant therapies have been shown to have limited efficacy in improving the overall prognosis of patients. Radiotherapy has been reported to prolong the survival times of patients with certain characteristics. The present study retrospectively evaluated the medical records and follow-up data from 27 CCA patients who received radiotherapy at Chulabhorn Hospital (Bangkok, Thailand) between 2008 and 2014. A total of 14 patients underwent surgery followed by adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Of the 27 CCA patients, 14 had intrahepatic CCA, 2 had extrahepatic CCA and 11 had hilar CCA. The 2-year survival rate was 40.7%. Tumor resectability, clinical symptoms and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score were found to be indicative of patient prognosis. In addition, the planning target volume and biologically effective radiotherapy dose were of prognostic value; however, initial treatment response was ambiguous in predicting survival time. The findings of the present study suggested that the currently used radiotherapy protocols for CCA may require modification to improve their efficacy.

Does radiotherapy still have a role in unresected biliary tract cancer?

The benefits of radiotherapy for inoperable biliary tract cancer remain unclear due to the lack of randomized data. We evaluated the impact of radiotherapy on survival in elderly patients using the SEER‐Medicare database. Patients in the SEER‐Medicare database with inoperable biliary tract tumors diagnosed between 1998 and 2011 were included. We used multivariate logistic regression to evaluate factors associated with treatment selection, and multivariate Cox regression and propensity score matching to evaluate treatment selection in relation to subsequent survival. Of the 2343 patients included, 451 (19%) received radiotherapy within 4 months of diagnosis. The use of radiotherapy declined over time, and was influenced by receipt of chemotherapy and patient age, race, marital status, poverty status, and tumor stage and type. Median survival was 9.3 (95% CI 8.7–9.7) months among patients who did not receive radiation and 10.0 (95% CI 9.1–11.3) months among those who received radiation, conditional on having survived 4 months. In patients who received chemotherapy (n = 1053), receipt of radiation was associated with improved survival, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.82 (95% 0.70–0.97, P = 0.02). In patients who did not receive chemotherapy (n = 1290), receipt of radiation was not associated with improved survival, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.09 (95% 0.91–1.30, P = 0.34). Propensity‐scored matched analyses showed similar results. Despite the survival benefit associated with the addition of radiotherapy to chemotherapy, the use of radiation for unresectable biliary tract cancers has declined over time.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for locally advanced extrahepatic and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Objectives

We report single-institution clinical efficacy and safety outcomes for patients with unresectable locally advanced cholangiocarcinoma who were treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and a subset of patients who received neoadjuvant SBRT and chemotherapy as part of an orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) protocol.

Methods and materials

From October 2008 to June 2015, 31 consecutive patients with unresectable extrahepatic (n = 25) or intrahepatic (n = 6) cholangiocarcinoma were treated with SBRT and retrospectively analyzed. Four patients underwent liver transplantation, and 1 underwent resection. SBRT was delivered in 5 fractions with a median dose of 40 Gy. Toxicity was scored using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events Version 4.0. Overall survival (OS), time to progression, and local control were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

Results

The median follow-up time was 11.5 months. The 1- and 2-year OS rates were 59% and 33%, respectively, with a median survival of 15.7 months. The 1- and 2-year freedom from progression was 67% and 34%, respectively. Median time to progression was 16.8 months. Nine patients had local failure. The actuarial 1- and 2-year local control rates were 78% and 47%, respectively. Among patients who also had OLT, the median OS was 31.3 months. Twenty-four patients (77%) experienced some form of acute grade 1-2 toxicity, most commonly fatigue or pain. Five patients (16%) experienced grade ≥3 toxicity.

Conclusions

SBRT is a promising option for patients with unresectable or recurrent cholangiocarcinoma either as a component of neoadjuvant therapy prior to OLT or as part of definitive therapy for patients who are unresectable and not eligible for transplantation.

Comparison of external beam radiation and brachytherapy to external beam radiation alone for unresectable extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHC) is a rare malignancy with a relatively poor prognosis. There are no randomized, prospective data to help define the optimal method of radiation delivery for unresectable EHC. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the benefit of adding brachytherapy to external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for unresectable EHC.

METHODS

A retrospective review of 1,326 patients with unresectable EHC using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was completed. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to analyze the primary endpoint, overall survival. Univariate and multivariate analysis was performed to identify and control for potential confounding variables, including age at diagnosis, sex, stage, grade, histology, race, year of diagnosis, and reason for no surgery.

RESULTS

Of the 1,326 patients with unresectable EHC, 1,188 (92.9%) received EBRT only, while 91 (7.1%) received both EBRT and brachytherapy. Patients receiving combined modality radiation therapy were more likely to be treated prior to the year 2000. Median overall survival for patients receiving EBRT and EBRT plus brachytherapy was 9 and 11 months, respectively (P=0.04). Cause specific survival was 12 months for those receiving EBRT only, and 15 months for those who received EBRT + brachytherapy (P=0.10). Survival analysis performed on patients with locoregional disease only revealed a trend towards prolonged overall survival with those receiving EBRT + brachytherapy (P=0.08). Multivariate analysis revealed grade and stage of disease were correlated with both overall survival and cause specific survival (P≤0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with unresectable EHC, the addition of brachytherapy to EBRT is associated with a prolonged median overall survival. However, the use of brachytherapy boost decreased in the last decade of the study.

Radiation therapy in cholangiocellular carcinomas

Cholangiocarcinoma can arise in all parts of the biliary tract and this has implications for therapy. Surgery is the mainstay of therapy however local relapse is a major problem. Therefore, adjuvant treatment with chemoradiotherapy was tested in trials. The SWOG-S0809 trial regimen of chemoradiotherapy which was tested in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and in gallbladder cancer can currently be regarded as highest level of evidence for this indication. In contrast to adjuvant therapy where only conventionally fractionated radiotherapy plays a role, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) today has become a powerful alternative to chemoradiotherapy for definitive treatment due to the ability to administer higher doses of radiotherapy to improve local control. Sequential combinations with chemotherapy are also frequently employed. Nevertheless, in general cholangiocarcinoma is an orphan disease and future clinical trials will have to improve the available level of evidence.

Novel Silicone-Coated 125I Seeds for the Treatment of Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

125I seeds coated with titanium are considered a safe and effective interstitial brachytherapy for tumors, while the cost of 125I seeds is a major problem for the patients implanting lots of seeds. The aim of this paper was to develop a novel silicone coating for 125I seeds with a lower cost. In order to show the radionuclide utilization ratio, the silicone was coated onto the seeds using the electro-spinning method and the radioactivity was evaluated, then the anti-tumor efficacy of silicone 125I seeds was compared with titanium 125I seeds. The seeds were divided into four groups: A (control), B (pure silicone), C (silicone 125I), D (titanium 125I) at 2 Gy or 4 Gy. Their anti-tumour activity and mechanism were assessed in vitro and in vivo using a human extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cell line FRH-0201 and tumor-bearing BALB/c nude mice. The silicone 125I seeds showed higher radioactivity; the rate of cell apoptosis in vitro and the histopathology in vivo demonstrated that the silicone 125I seeds shared similar anti-tumor efficacy with the titanium 125I seeds for the treatment of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, while they have a much lower cost.

The role of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy for cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinomas are rare cancers arising from the epithelia of the biliary tract. The only prospect of curative therapy is with surgery. However, relapse rates are high with five-year survival rates typically around 20-30%. Involved resection margins and spread to local lymph nodes are associated with a higher risk of relapse. Such poor outcomes provide a rationale for adjuvant strategies to improve survival. However, there is little randomised data to support the use of adjuvant therapy; the available evidence base is based mostly on retrospective case series and results are often conflicting. This review evaluates the available evidence. Adjuvant therapy may be considered on an individual patient basis after discussion of the limitations of our knowledge. The results of prospective, randomised clinical trials of adjuvant therapy are eagerly awaited. Progress will require collaboration of basic science and clinical oncology and the execution of well-designed clinical trials.

Clinical practice guidelines for the management of biliary tract cancers 2015: the 2nd English edition

BACKGROUND

The Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery launched the clinical practice guidelines for the management of biliary tract and ampullary carcinomas in 2008. Novel treatment modalities and handling of clinical issues have been proposed after the publication. New approaches for editing clinical guidelines, such as the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system, also have been introduced for better and clearer grading of recommendations.

METHODS

Clinical questions (CQs) were proposed in seven topics. Recommendation, grade of recommendation and statement for each CQ were discussed and finalized by evidence-based approach. Recommendation was graded to grade 1 (strong) and 2 (weak) according to the concept of GRADE system.

RESULTS

The 29 CQs covered seven topics: (1) prophylactic treatment, (2) diagnosis, (3) biliary drainage, (4) surgical treatment, (5) chemotherapy, (6) radiation therapy, and (7) pathology. In 27 CQs, 19 recommendations were rated strong and 11 recommendations weak. Each CQ included the statement of how the recommendation was graded.

CONCLUSIONS

This guideline provides recommendation for important clinical aspects based on evidence. Future collaboration with cancer registry will be a key for assessment of the guidelines and establishment of new evidence. Free full-text articles and a mobile application of this guideline are available via http://www.jshbps.jp/en/guideline/biliary-tract2.html.

Treatment of distal cholangiocarcinoma

Distal cholangiocarcinoma (DCC) is a rare, aggressive malignancy with an increasing incidence during past few years. The great majority of distal bile duct cancers are adenocarcinomas that preferentially invade adjacent organs and metastasize to regional lymph nodes. Surgical resection remains the only potentially curative treatment at present. Nevertheless, resectability rates range from 21% to 96% either due to local vascular invasion or distant metastasis. Therefore, DCC is related with a poor prognosis. Thus, new treatments for DCC are becoming a hot spot of research in recent years. This article reviews the progress in the treatment of DCC in terms of radical surgery, palliative surgery and interventional therapy as well as adjuvant therapy.

Impact of intraluminal brachytherapy on survival outcome for radiation therapy for unresectable biliary tract cancer: a propensity-score matched-pair analysis

PURPOSE

To determine whether adding intraluminal brachytherapy (ILBT) to definitive radiation therapy (RT) for unresectable biliary tract cancer has a positive impact on survival outcome.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

The original cohort comprised 209 patients, including 153 who underwent external beam RT (EBRT) alone and 56 who received both ILBT and EBRT. By matching propensity scores, 56 pairs (112 patients) consisting of 1 patient with and 1 patient without ILBT were selected. They were well balanced in terms of sex, age, performance status, clinical stage, jaundice, and addition of chemotherapy. The impact of ILBT on overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and local control (LC) was investigated.

RESULTS

The 2-year OS rates were 31% for the ILBT+ group and 40% for theILBT- group (P=.862). The 2-year DSS rates were 42% for the ILBT+ group and 41% for the ILBT- group (P=.288). The 2-year LC rates were 65% for the ILBT+ group and 35% for the ILBT- group (P=.094). Three of the 4 sensitivity analyses showed a significantly better LC for the ILBT+ group (P=.010, .025, .049), and another showed a marginally better LC (P=.068), and none of the sensitivity analyses showed any statistically significant differences in OS or DSS.

CONCLUSIONS

In the treatment for unresectable biliary tract cancer, the addition of ILBT to RT has no impact on OS or DSS but is associated with better LC. Therefore, the role of ILBT should be addressed by other measures than survival benefit, for example, by less toxicity, prolonged biliary tract patency decreasing the need for further palliative interventions, or patient quality of life.

Factors influencing survival outcome for radiotherapy for biliary tract cancer: a multicenter retrospective study

PURPOSE

To seek for the possible factors influencing overall survival (OS) with radiotherapy (RT) for biliary tract cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data were collected retrospectively from RT database of 31 institutions in Japan. All patients underwent at least external beam RT. The factors influencing OS were investigated.

RESULTS

Data of 498 patients were analyzed. Median OS of the 212 patients who underwent surgery was significantly better than that of the 286 patients without surgery (31 vs. 15 months, p<0.001). The OS for the R0 or R1 resection group was significantly longer than that for the R2 or non-surgery group, as well as for n0 compared to n1 (all p<0.001). Chemoradiotherapy (CRT), both sequential and concurrent, resulted in a better OS than RT alone for the n1 group (31 vs. 13 months, p<0.001), and marginally better for the R0/R1 group (p=0.065; p=0.054 for concurrent CRT). However, no such benefit was observed for the R2/non-surgical patients. Multivariate analysis identified performance status, clinical stage, and surgery as significant factors.

CONCLUSION

Surgery, especially R0/R1 resection, seemed as the gold standard for treatment of biliary tract cancer including RT, even in the highly heterogeneous population obtained from the multicenter retrospective study. The possibility was shown that CRT yielded better survival benefit especially for n1 patients. We recommend that future prospective trials include an arm of adjuvant CRT at least for n1 and possibly R0/R1 patients.

Clinical outcomes and toxicity of proton beam therapy for advanced cholangiocarcinoma

Background

We examined the efficacy and toxicity of proton beam therapy (PBT) for treating advanced cholangiocarcinoma.

Methods

The clinical data and outcomes of 28 cholangiocarcinoma patients treated with PBT between January 2009 and August 2011 were retrospectively examined. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to estimate overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and local control (LC) rates, and the log-rank test to analyze the effects of different clinical and treatment variables on survival. Acute and late toxicities were assessed using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0.

Results

The median age of the 17 male and 11 female patients was 71 years (range, 41 to 84 years; intrahepatic/peripheral cholangiocarcinoma, n = 6; hilar cholangiocarcinoma/Klatskin tumor, n = 6; distal extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, n = 3; gallbladder cancer, n = 3; local or lymph node recurrence, n = 10; size, 20–175 mm; median 52 mm). The median radiation dose was 68.2 Gy (relative biological effectiveness [RBE]) (range, 50.6 to 80 Gy (RBE)), with delivery of fractions of 2.0 to 3.2 Gy (RBE) daily. The median follow-up duration was 12 months (range, 3 to 29 months). Fifteen patients underwent chemotherapy and 8 patients, palliative biliary stent placement prior to PBT. OS, PFS, and LC rates at 1 year were 49.0%, 29.5%, and 67.7%, respectively. LC was achieved in 6 patients, and was better in patients administered a biologically equivalent dose of 10 (BED10) > 70 Gy compared to those administered < 70 Gy (83.1% vs. 22.2%, respectively, at 1 year). The variables of tumor size and performance status were associated with survival. Late gastrointestinal toxicities grade 2 or greater were observed in 7 patients <12 months after PBT. Cholangitis was observed in 11 patients and 3 patients required stent replacement.

Conclusions

Relatively high LC rates after PBT for advanced cholangiocarcinoma can be achieved by delivery of a BED10 > 70 Gy. Gastrointestinal toxicities, especially those of the duodenum, are dose-limiting toxicities associated with PBT, and early metastatic progression remains a treatment obstacle.

Impact of radiotherapy in the management of locally advanced extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Optimal therapy for patients with unresectable locally advanced extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ULAC) remains controversial. We analysed the role of radiotherapy in the management of such tumors.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients treated in our institution with conformal-3D external-beam-radiotherapy (EBRT) with or without concurrent chemotherapy.

RESULTS

Thirty patients were included: 24 with a primary tumor (group 1) and 6 with a local relapse (group 2). Toxicity was low. Among 25 patients assessable for EBRT response, we observed 9 complete responses, 4 partial responses, 10 stabilisations, and 2 progressions. The median follow-up was 12 months. Twenty out of 30 patients (66%) experienced a relapse, which was metastatic in 75% of cases in the whole series, 87% in group 1, 60% in group 2 (p = 0.25). Twenty-eight patients (93%) died of relapse or disease complications. Median overall survivals in the whole group and in group 1 or 2 were respectively 12, 11 and 21 months (p = 0.11). The 1-year and 3-year progression-free survivals were respectively 38% and 16% in the whole series; 31% and 11% in group 1, 67% and 33% in group 2 (p = 0.35).

CONCLUSION

EBRT seems efficient to treat ULAC, with acceptable toxicity. For primary disease, the high rate of metastatic relapse suggests to limit EBRT to non-progressive patients after induction chemotherapy.

Nomogram prediction of survival and recurrence in patients with extrahepatic bile duct cancer undergoing curative resection followed by adjuvant chemoradiation therapy

PURPOSE

To develop nomograms for predicting the overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) in patients with extrahepatic bile duct cancer undergoing adjuvant chemoradiation therapy after curative resection.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

From January 1995 through August 2006, a total of 166 consecutive patients underwent curative resection followed by adjuvant chemoradiation therapy. Multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazards regression was performed, and this Cox model was used as the basis for the nomograms of OS and RFS. We calculated concordance indices of the constructed nomograms and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system.

RESULTS

The OS rate at 2 years and 5 years was 60.8% and 42.5%, respectively, and the RFS rate at 2 years and 5 years was 52.5% and 38.2%, respectively. The model containing age, sex, tumor location, histologic differentiation, perineural invasion, and lymph node involvement was selected for nomograms. The bootstrap-corrected concordance index of the nomogram for OS and RFS was 0.63 and 0.62, respectively, and that of AJCC staging for OS and RFS was 0.50 and 0.52, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed nomograms that predicted survival and recurrence better than AJCC staging. With caution, clinicians may use these nomograms as an adjunct to or substitute for AJCC staging for predicting an individual's prognosis and offering tailored adjuvant therapy.

Reappraisal of the therapeutic role of celecoxib in cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a lethal disease, affects many thousands worldwide yearly. Surgical resection provides the best chance for a cure; however, only one-third of CCA patients present with a resectable tumour at the time of diagnosis. Currently, no effective chemotherapy is available for advanced CCA. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a potential oncogene expressing in human CCA tissues and represents a candidate target for treatment; however, COX-2 inhibitors increase the risk of negative cardiovascular events as application for chemoprevention aim. Here, we re-evaluated the effectiveness and safety of celecoxib, one widely used COX-2 inhibitor, in treating CCA. We demonstrated that celecoxib exhibited an anti-proliferative effect on CGCCA cells via cell cycle arrest at G2 phase and apoptosis induction. Treatment for 5 weeks high dose celecoxib (160 mg/kg) significantly repressed thioacetamide-induced CCA tumour growth in rats as monitored by animal positron emission tomography through apoptosis induction. No obviously observable side effects were noted during the therapeutic period. As retrospectively reviewing 78 intrahepatic mass-forming CCA patients, their survival was strongly and negatively associated with a positive resection margin and high COX-2 expression. Based on our result, we concluded that short-term high dose celecoxib may be a promising therapeutic regimen for CCA. Yet its clinical application still needs more studies to prove its safety.

Advances in systemic therapy for advanced pancreatobiliary malignancies

Pancreatobiliary malignancies are relatively uncommon and the overall prognosis is poor. Treatment options for advanced disease are limited to systemic therapy for metastatic disease and a combination of systemic therapy and radiation therapy for locally advanced but unresectable tumors. There have been significant advances in the treatment of pancreatobiliary cancers in recent years but the prognosis for patient survival remains disappointingly poor. We review the current treatment options for locally advanced pancreatobiliary malignancies and highlight recent advances in systemic therapy, including novel approaches using targeted treatments.

Patterns of radiotherapy practice for biliary tract cancer in Japan: results of the Japanese radiation oncology study group (JROSG) survey

BACKGROUND

The patterns of radiotherapy (RT) practice for biliary tract cancer (BTC) in Japan are not clearly established.

METHODS

A questionnaire-based national survey of RT used for BTC treatment between 2000 and 2011 was conducted by the Japanese Radiation Oncology Study Group. Detailed information was collected for 555 patients from 31 radiation oncology institutions.

RESULTS

The median age of the patients was 69 years old (range, 33-90) and 81% had a good performance status (0-1). Regarding RT treatment, 78% of the patients were treated with external beam RT (EBRT) alone, 17% received intraluminal brachytherapy, and 5% were treated with intraoperative RT. There was no significant difference in the choice of treatment modality among the BTC subsites. Many patients with EBRT were treated with a total dose of 50 or 50.4 Gy (~40%) and only 13% received a total dose ≥60 Gy, even though most institutions (90%) were using CT-based treatment planning. The treatment field consisted of the primary tumor (bed) only in 75% of the patients. Chemotherapy was used for 260 patients (47%) and was most often administered during RT (64%, 167/260), followed by after RT (63%, 163/260). Gemcitabine was the most frequently used drug for chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

This study established the general patterns of RT practice for BTC in Japan. Further surveys and comparisons with results from other countries are needed for development and optimization of RT for patients with BTC in Japan.

CD24 expression predicts distant metastasis in extrahepatic bile duct cancer

AIM: To evaluate the prognostic significance of CD24 expression in patients undergoing adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for extrahepatic bile duct (EHBD) cancer.

METHODS: Eighty-four patients with EHBD cancer who underwent curative resection followed by adjuvant chemoradiotherapy were enrolled in this study. Postoperative radiotherapy was delivered to the tumor bed and regional lymph nodes up to a median of 40 Gy (range: 40-56 Gy). All patients also received fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy for radiosensitization during radiotherapy. CD24 expression was assessed with immunohistochemical staining on tissue microarray. Clinicopathologic factors as well as CD24 expression were evaluated in multivariate analysis for clinical outcomes including loco-regional recurrence, distant metastasis-free and overall survival.

RESULTS: CD24 was expressed in 36 patients (42.9%). CD24 expression was associated with distant metastasis, but not with loco-regional recurrence nor with overall survival. The 5-year distant metastasis-free survival rates were 55.1% and 29.0% in patients with negative and positive expression, respectively (P = 0.0100). On multivariate analysis incorporating N stage, histologic differentiation and CD24 expression, N stage was the only significant factor predicting distant metastasis-free survival (P = 0.0089), while CD24 expression had borderline significance (P = 0.0733). In subgroup analysis, CD24 expression was significantly associated with 5-year distant metastasis-free survival in node-positive patients (38.4% with negative expression vs 0% with positive expression, P = 0.0110), but not in node-negative patients (62.0% with negative expression vs 64.0% with positive expression, P = 0.8599).

CONCLUSION: CD24 expression was a significant predictor of distant metastasis for patients undergoing curative resection followed by adjuvant chemoradiotherapy especially for node-positive EHBD cancer.