Advanced Biliary Tract Carcinoma Research Articles

Prognosis of patients with advanced bile tract carcinoma: assessment using the modified-Gustave Roussy Immune Score (mGRIm-s) as a clinico-immunological tool

BackgroundThe emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has enhanced survival outcomes for certain patients with advanced biliary tract carcinoma (BTC). Pinpointing those who would benefit most from immunotherapy remains elusive. We investigated the predictive value of the modified Gustave Roussy Immune Score (mGRIm-s) in BTC patients treated with ICIs.MethodsData from 110 patients at Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, spanning September 2015 to April 2021, were analyzed. The median follow-up duration was 38.7 months as of December 2023. Risk factors included low albumin, high lactate dehydrogenase, and an elevated neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio. Patients were stratified into low (patients with no risk factors) and high (patients with at least one risk factor) mGRIm-s groups based on these factors.ResultsSurvival outcomes post-immunotherapy favored the low mGRIm-s group, with significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) (8.50 months vs. 3.70 months and 21.60 months vs. 8.00 months). COX regression confirmed an elevated risk in the high mGRIm-s group. Subgroup analysis highlighted a notable survival advantage for low mGRIm-s patients receiving first-line immunotherapy.ConclusionsThis study underscores mGRIm-s's potential in predicting immunotherapy response in BTC, paving the way for more targeted approaches.

Tinengotinib (TT-00420) in combination with atezolizumab in Chinese patients (pts) with biliary tract carcinoma (BTC): Preliminary efficacy and safety results from a phase Ib/II study.

473 Background: Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitor durvalumab in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin has been approved as first-line therapy for BTC. However, the efficacy of subsequent standard of care is limited. Tinengotinib is a spectrum-selective multi-kinase inhibitor that targets cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and immune-oncology pathways by inhibiting Aurora kinases A/B, Janus kinases and receptor tyrosine kinases (FGFRs and VEGFRs). Tinengotinib combined with PD-L1 has demonstrated promising antineoplastic activity in preclinical study. Here we present the preliminary data of tinengotinib in combination with atezolizumab (atezo) in pts with advanced BTC from a phase Ib/II trial in China. Methods: In combination therapy, eligible pts with advanced/metastatic BTC were enrolled and treated with tinengotinib plus atezo 1200 mg/20 mL in 21-day cycle. Dose escalation (Phase Ib) and dose expansion (Phase II) were designed. Dose escalation followed a standard 3+3 design. Primary objectives in phase Ib were safety, tolerability, and determination of the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D). Results: As of 17-Aug-2023, six pts (5 cholangiocarcinoma, 1 gallbladder carcinoma) were enrolled and treated with tinengotinib 8 mg QD plus atezo (n=3) or tinengotinib 10 mg QD plus atezo (n=3). Median age was 62.0 years (range 47-75), 83.3% had ECOG performance status of 1, 83.3% had stage IV disease, 50% had ≥ 3 lines of prior antineoplastic therapies, and 50% had prior immunotherapy. No DLT was observed in these two dose levels. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were reported in 6 (100%) pts, including Grade (Gr)1-2 for 6 pts, Gr 3 in 2 pts. No Gr 4-5 TRAE. The most common TRAEs (≥ 50%) included hypertension, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome, blood bilirubin increased, proteinuria, hypertriglyceridemia and platelet count decreased. Two pts achieved partial response (PR). One prior immunotherapy naïve pt had a tumor reduction of 48.0% lasting for more than 5 months (tinengotinib 8 mg QD plus atezo). Another pt with prior immunotherapy (sintilimab), target therapy (donafenib) and chemotherapy had a tumor reduction of 39.1% (tinengotinib 10 mg QD plus atezo). Three pts had stable disease (SD). Conclusions: Tinengotinib in combination with atezo was well-tolerated for the treatment of Chinese BTC pts. Preliminary encouraging efficacy of tinengotinib in combination with atezo was observed in pts with heavily pre-treated BTC. The ongoing study is to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of tinengotinib in combination with atezo in pts with BTC who had prior immunotherapy and/or chemotherapy. Clinical trial information: NCT05253053 .

Combined immune checkpoint inhibition with durvalumab and tremelimumab with and without radiofrequency ablation in patients with advanced biliary tract carcinoma.

Current standard of care for advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC) is gemcitabine, cisplatin plus anti-PD1/PD-L1, but response rates are modest. The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy and safety of durvalumab (anti-PD-L1) and tremelimumab (anti-CTLA-4), with and without an interventional radiology (IR) procedure in advanced BTC. Eligible patients with advanced BTC who had received or refused at least one prior line of systemic therapy were treated with tremelimumab and durvalumab for four combined doses followed by monthly durvalumab alone with and without an IR procedure until the progression of disease or unacceptable toxicity. Objective response was assessed through CT or MRI by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST, version 1.1) every 8 weeks. Adverse events (AEs) were recorded and managed. The primary endpoint was 6-month progression-free survival (PFS). Twenty-three patients with advanced BTC were enrolled; 17 patients were assigned to treatment with durvalumab and tremelimumab (Durva/Treme); and 6 patients were treated with the combination of durvalumab, tremelimumab plus IR procedure (Durva/Treme + IR). The best clinical responses in the Durva/Treme arm were partial response (n = 1), stable disease (n = 5), progressive disease (n = 5), and in the Durva/Treme + IR arm: partial response (n = 0), stable disease (n = 3), progressive disease (n = 3). The median PFS was 2.2 months (95% CI: 1.3-3.1 months) in the Durva/Treme arm and 2.9 months (95% CI: 1.9-4.7 months) in the Durva/Treme + IR arm (p = 0.27). The median OS was 5.1 months (95% CI: 2.5-6.9 months) in the Durva/Treme arm and 5.8 months (95% CI: 2.9-40.1 months) in the Durva/Treme + IR arm (p = 0.31). The majority of AEs were grades 1-2. Durva/Treme and Durva/Treme + IR showed similar efficacy. With a manageable safety profile. Larger studies are needed to fully characterize the efficacy of Durva/Treme ± IR in advanced BTC.

Clinical characteristics of liver injury induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with advanced biliary tract carcinoma.

Immune-related liver injuries are closely associated with the liver's fundamental state. Patients with advanced biliary tract carcinoma (BTC) have poor liver function. We evaluated the clinical data of immune-related liver injury in patients with advanced BTC and gastric cancer (GC) during immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment between February 2019 and July 2022 at Peking University First Hospital. Twenty-five patients with advanced BTC were identified. Fifteen patients (60%) experienced immune-related liver injury during ICI treatment. We also evaluated the clinical status of patients with GC in another group receiving immunotherapy. The results demonstrated that the incidence of immune-related liver injury was higher in patients with BTC than in GC cancer (p=0.040). Multivariate analysis suggested that the type of malignant tumor and baseline liver function status were high-risk factors for grade 2 and higher immune-related liver injuries. Two patients were diagnosed with immune-related cholangitis. Both biliary enzymes can be decreased to a certain degree by corticosteroid and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) therapy but are difficult to reduce to normal levels. Liver function normalized, and symptoms improved after local treatment for cholestasis (stent implantation or PTBD). We observed a higher incidence of immune-related liver injury after ICI treatment in patients with advanced BTC. Effect of baseline liver function on the incidence of liver injury associated with immunotherapy. Interventional therapy provides rapid relief from cholestasis and is an indispensable and effective approach to the treatment of immune-related cholangitis.

Mutational spectrum for guiding the decision of adjuvant treatment in patients with resected biliary tract carcinoma.

Systemic chemotherapy or chemoradiation therapy has proven to be effective in treating advanced biliary tract carcinoma (BTC). However, its efficacy in the adjuvant setting remains controversial. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prognostic significance of genomic biomarkers in resected BTC and their potential role in stratifying patients for adjuvant treatment. We retrospectively reviewed 113 BTC patients who underwent curative-intent surgery and had available tumor sequencing data. Disease-free survival (DFS) was the primary outcome examined and univariate analysis was used to identify gene mutations with prognostic value. Favorable and unfavoratble gene subsets were distinguished from the selected genes through grouping, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression was used to identify independent prognostic factors of DFS. Our results indicated that mutations in ACVR1B, AR, CTNNB1, ERBB3, and LRP2 were favorable mutations, while mutations in ARID1A, CDKN2A, FGFR2, NF1, NF2, PBRM1, PIK3CA, and TGFBR1 were unfavorable mutations. In addition to age, sex, and node positive, favorable genes (HR = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.04-0.48, p = 0.001) and unfavorable genes (HR = 2.86, 95% CI = 1.51-5.29, p = 0.001) were identified as independent prognostic factors for DFS. Out of the 113 patients, only 35 received adjuvant treatment whereas the majority (78) did not. For patients with both favorable and unfavorable mutations undetected, adjuvant treatment showed negative effect on DFS (median DFS: S441 vs. 956 days, p = 0.010), but there was no significant difference in DFS among those in other mutational subgroups. Genomic testing might be useful in guiding the decisions regarding adjuvant treatment in BTC.

Combined immune checkpoint inhibition with durvalumab and tremelimumab with and without radiofrequency ablation in patients with advanced biliary tract carcinoma.

e16158 Background: The prognosis of advanced bile tract cancer (BTC) is unfavorable with a 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of less than 10%. Durvalumab has been approved in the first line setting in combination with chemotherapy (gemcitabine with cisplatin) for advanced BTC. Monotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in BTC in the second line is suboptimal with ORR reported in the 5-15% range. The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy of an anti-PD-L1 (durvalumab) agent in combination with an anti-CTLA4 (tremelimumab) agent with and without radio frequency ablations (RFA) in advanced BTC. Methods: Eligible patients with advanced BTC who had received or refused at least one prior line of systemic therapy were treated with tremelimumab 75 mg intravenously (IV) and durvalumab 1500 mg (IV) for 4 combined doses followed by monthly durvalumab 1500 mg IV alone until progression of disease or unacceptable toxicity. Objective response was assessed through CT or MRI by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST, version 1.1) every 8 weeks. Adverse events (AEs) were recorded and managed. The primary endpoint was 6-month progression free survival (PFS). All patients underwent a pretreatment and on treatment biopsy. Results: 22 patients with advanced BTC were enrolled in this study; 10 patients were treated with durvalumab and tremelimumab (Durva/ Treme -Arm A) and 12 patients were treated with the combination of durvalumab and tremelimumab and an ablative procedure (Durva/ Treme/ RFA -Arm B). A total of 18 patients were evaluable (10 in Arm A and 8 in Arm B). The best clinical response in Arm A were as follows: PR (n=8), SD (n=1), PD (n=1) and in Arm B: SD (n=3), PD (n=5). The median progression free survival (PFS) in the Durva/ Treme Arm A was 3.3 months (95% CI: 1.9-3.9) and Durva/ Treme/ RFA Arm was 2 months (95% CI: 1.3-2.5)). The median overall survival (OS) in the Durva/ Treme Arm A was 6.1 months (95% CI: 3.5-7.4) and Durva/ Treme/ RFA Arm was 5.7 months (95% CI: 2.9-7.6). The most common study hematologic related Grade 3-4 adverse events (AEs) were lymphopenia (n=6) and anemia (n=3) and the most common non hematologic AEs included increased AST (n=9), increased alk phos (n=7) and increased total bilirubin (n=6). Conclusions: Combined ICI with Durva/ Treme with and without RFA is well tolerated; Durva/ Treme alone showed promising activity in this small early-stage study, with an ORR of 80%, in patients with advanced BTC. Clinical trial information: NCT02821754 .

A retrospective cohort study on the efficacy and safety for combination therapy of immunotherapy, targeted agent, and chemotherapy versus immunochemotherapy or chemotherapy alone in the first-line treatment of advanced biliary tract carcinoma.

A paucity of effective treatment for biliary tract carcinoma (BTC) has necessitated the investigation into new therapies. As combinations of targeted therapy with immunotherapy are well-established in hepatocellular carcinoma, the GEMOX chemotherapy (gemcitabine and oxaliplatin) is the standard treatment for BTC. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy in combination with targeted agent and chemotherapy in advanced BTC. Patients who were pathologically identified advanced BTC and had received gemcitabine-based chemotherapy alone or in combination with anlotinib, and/or anti-programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors such as camrelizumab as first-line treatment were retrospectively screened from The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from February 2018 to August 2021. The outcomes included objective response rate (ORR), median overall survival (OS), and median progressive-free survival (PFS). Adverse events (AEs) were assessed according to the NCI-CTCAE v. 4.03. Patients were followed up weekly. A total of 35 patients were enrolled in this study: 11 patients treated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor plus anlotinib and gemcitabine (arm A), 12 patients with the GEMOX combined with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor (arm B), and 12 patients with GEMOX (arm C). With a median follow-up time of 31.9 months (range, 23.8-39.7 months), the median OS was 16.8 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 7.0-not reached], 11.8 months (95% CI: 7.2-31.7 months), and 11.6 months (95% CI: 7.3-18.0 months) in arms A, B, and C, respectively (P=0.298). The median PFS was 16.8 months (95% CI: 7.0-NR), 6.0 months (95% CI: 5.1-8.7 months), and 6.3 months (95% CI: 4.6-7.0 months) in arms A, B, and C, respectively. The ORR were 63.6% in arm A, 33.3% in arm B, and 25.0% in arm C. AEs of all grades occurred in 33 (94.3%) patients. Grade 3-4 AEs in all patients included neutrophil count decrease (14.3%), aspartate aminotransferase increase (8.6%), alanine aminotransferase increase (8.6%), fatigue (5.7%), and blood bilirubin increase (5.7%). Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy in combination with anlotinib and gemcitabine showed promising efficacy and an acceptable safety profile for the BTC patients included in this study.

Effectiveness and safety of radiotherapy plus programmed death-1 inhibitors and lenvatinib in patients with advanced biliary tract carcinoma: a real-world study.

Radiotherapy (RT) may function synergistically with immunotherapy and targeted agents (TA). This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of RT combined with programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors and lenvatinib in patients with relapsed or refractory advanced biliary tract carcinoma (BTC). This retrospective study included patients with relapsed or refractory advanced BTC who received RT combined with PD-1 inhibitors and lenvatinib at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH). Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and safety were evaluated. Thirty-one patients who received RT combined with PD-1 inhibitors and lenvatinib as a second- or later-line therapy were analyzed. RT sites were mainly distributed in the liver lesions (64.5%) and lymph nodes (58.1%). The ORR and DCR were 32.3% (10/31; 95% CI: 14.8-49.7) and 87.1% (27/31; 95% CI: 74.6-99.6), respectively. The median PFS (mPFS) and median OS (mOS) were 7.9 (95% CI: 7.1-8.7) and 11.7 (95% CI: 8.3-15.0) months, respectively. Subgroup analyses of this cohort included 12 and 19 patients who received concurrent and salvage (> 6weeks after commencing PD-1 inhibitor therapy) RT, respectively. The salvage RT group had higher mOS (11.7 vs. 10.5; p = 0.75) and mPFS (7.9 vs. 6.9; p = 0.85) than the concurrent RT group; however, statistical significance was not reached. All patients experienced any-grade adverse events (AEs), and excessive PD-1 inhibitors or RT toxicity were not observed. RT, PD-1 inhibitors, and lenvatinib may be safely combined and have antitumor effectiveness in patients with advanced BTC.

Nab-paclitaxel plus tegafur gimeracil oteracil potassium capsule (S-1) as first-line treatment for advanced biliary tract adenocarcinoma: a phase 2 clinical trial.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a new combination of nab-paclitaxel plus tegafur gimeracil oteracil potassium capsule (S-1) for patients with advanced biliary tract carcinoma (BTC). Patients were treated with nab-paclitaxel at a dose of 125 mg/m2 on day 1 and 8, and S-1, 80 to 120 mg/day on days 1-14 of a 21-day cycle. Treatments were repeated until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurred. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR). The secondary endpoints were median progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse events (AEs). The number of patients enrolled were 54, and 51 patients were evaluated for efficacy. A total of 14 patients achieved partial response (PR) with an ORR of 27.5%. The ORR varied by sites, with 53.8% (7/13) for gallbladder carcinoma, 18.4% (7/38) for cholangiocarcinoma. The most common grade 3 or 4 toxicities were neutropenia and stomatitis. The median PFS and OS were 6.0 and 13.2 months, respectively. The combination of nab-paclitaxel with S-1 showed explicit antitumor activities and favorable safety profile in advanced BTC and could serve as a potential non-platinum and -gemcitabine-based regimen.

Targeting Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor Alterations in Cholangiocarcinoma and Other Solid Tumours: A New Frontier in Personalised Medicine

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a cancer of the bile duct with poor prognosis and increasing incidence. Filippo de Braud gave an overview of CCA and its classification and highlighted key unmet needs in both diagnosis and treatment. Juan Valle explained that intrahepatic CCA (iCCA) accounts for 11% of the entire cancer of unknown primary (CUP) population, as well as 33% of patients with liver-inclusive disease. It is, therefore, vital that CUP with a ‘liver-dominant lesion’ is reviewed by a specialist team familiar with iCCA management. Angela Lamarca emphasised that managing CAA requires a multidisciplinary approach to both diagnosis and treatment. Precision medicine is now a reality in biliary tract carcinoma (BTC), particularly iCCA, so molecular testing is essential to ensure targeted therapy options are considered. David Malka explored existing and emerging standard-of-care (SOC) treatments for advanced BTC, which represents a target-rich disease. Updated guidelines now recommend targeted treatment for second-line iCCA in patients with appropriate alterations, underscoring the importance of systematic and early molecular profiling. A wide range of malignancies harbour FGFR alterations at varying frequencies, and the FGFR inhibitor pemigatinib is already approved for the treatment of CCA with FGFR2 fusions or rearrangements. Antoine Hollebecque highlighted the final results from the Phase II FIGHT-202 study, in which pemigatinib achieved an overall response rate (ORR) of 37% in the target population with a manageable safety profile.

PD-1-mAb Plus Regimen in the First and Second Lines of Advanced and Unresectable Biliary Tract Carcinoma: A Real-World, Multicenter Retrospective Analysis.

Advanced biliary tract carcinoma (BTC) has a poor prognosis and few treatment options. We compared the efficacy of the PD-1 monoclonal antibody (PD-1-mAb) combined regimens with the standard chemotherapy in the first-line and second-line treatment of advanced BTC. We retrospectively assessed the patients with advanced BTC, who received treatment at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University and the Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center. The patients were treated with PD-1-mAb combined regimens or standard chemotherapy at the first line or treated with PD-1-mAb combined regimens or systematic therapy at the second line. Further subgroup analyses were assessed to identify superior regimens. This study included 210 patients. The first-line PD-1-mAb combination group (n = 83) achieved longer median PFS (mPFS) (7.3 vs 5.3 months, p=0.001) and median OS (mOS) (15.6 vs 11.4 months, p=0.002) than the first-line standard chemotherapy group (n=76). Similarly, the second-line PD-1-mAb combination group (n=50) yielded longer mPFS (6.1 vs 2.6 months, p<0.001) and mOS (11.7 vs 7.2 months, p=0.008) than the second-line systematic therapy group (n=51). Subgroup analyses showed that the PD-1-mAb combined with TKI group achieved better mPFS than the chemotherapy group whether in the first-line (HR = 0.468, p=0.005) or the second-line setting (HR = 0.45, p=0.009), but did not achieve superiority in mOS (both p>0.05). Compared with the chemotherapy group, the PD-1-mAb combined with chemotherapy group achieved longer mOS (HR = 0.53, p=0.023) in the first-line setting and longer mPFS in the second-line setting (HR = 0.54, p=0.044). The PD-1-mAb combination therapy is superior to the standard chemotherapy in advanced or unresectable BTC, whether as a first-line or second-line treatment. Among the combination therapy, both the PD-1-mAb combined with TKI and combined with standard chemotherapy were promising options for advanced BTC patients.

Treatment of biliary tract carcinoma over the last 30 years.

Surgical resection could offer the only chance of a long-term cure for biliary tract carcinoma. However, only a small percentage of these patients can undergo surgery based on the progression of the disease. Most patients with biliary tract carcinoma receive palliative chemotherapy. Until 2010, patients with unresectable biliary tract carcinoma received fluorouracil (5-FU), gemcitabine (GEM), and cisplatin (CDDP)-based chemotherapies. The ABC-02 study established GEM with CDDP as the first-line therapy for patients with unresectable biliary tract carcinoma, and phase III studies indicated that several combinations of anti-cancer drugs such as GEM with S-1 benefited patients. In contrast, clinical studies on targeted therapy dosages for biliary tract carcinoma in the 2010s failed to corroborate the advantages of administering cancer treatment with or without other anticancer drugs. Due to the easy access to cancer panels, precision medicines (such as ivosidenib for IDH1 mutations, pemigatinib for FGFR2 fusions, and entrectinib and larotrectinib for NTRK fusions) were recently found to be effective in the treatment of patients with these genetic alterations. Moreover, many clinical studies on immune checkpoint inhibitors for advanced biliary tract carcinoma are currently underway and could provide more effective treatment options in the near future.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) plus CAPOX in the treatment of unresectable advanced or recurrent biliary tract carcinoma (BTC): A retrospective study.

e16144 Background: Patients with advanced or unresectable BTC have limited treatment options and poor prognosis. The combination of ICIs with chemotherapy has demonstrated promising antitumor activity with manageable safety in the first- or second-line in treatment of patients with advanced or unresectable BTC, but only a subset of patients with BTC derive benefit. The standard systemic treatment for BTC has been gemcitabine (800-1250 mg/m2, i.v., d1 and d8, q3w) in combination with oxaliplatin/cisplatin. The regimen is associated with high frequency of intravenous injection or more hospital days. All above highlights the need for new combinations. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective trial to evaluate ICIs combined with CAPOX (more convenient dosing regimen) in patients with advanced or recurrent BTC who were treatment-naive or failed to previous treatment. Methods: In this study, eligible patients were diagnosed as unresectable advanced or recurrent BTC, therapy-naive or failed to previous treatment with chemotherapy, inhibitors of VEGFR or PD-1/PD-L1. In therapy phase, 28 patients were given with ICIs (dosage and mode of administration according to instructions, d1), oxaliplatin (130 mg/m2, i.v., d1), and capecitabine (1000mg/m2, po, bid, d1-14) every 3 weeks, until disease progression, intolerable toxicities, or physician/patient withdrawal. The safety and efficacy were assessed by investigators per CTCAE v5.0 and RECIST v1.1, respectively. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), the secondly endpoints were overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), duration of response (DOR) and adverse events (AEs). Results: From Dec 24, 2019 to Aug 6, 2021, 28 patients had been enrolled to receive therapy. The patients were characterized with a median age of 58 years (range 53-79), 75% intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and 25% gallbladder cancer (GBC), 25% lymph node metastasis, 25% liver metastases, 54% with history of surgery, and 57% with therapy-native. As of Jan 23, 2022, with a median follow-up of 9.0 months (range, 2.1-23.4), safety and efficacy were assessed in 26 evaluable patients, with response of 12 PR and 6 SD. Confirmed ORR and disease control rate (DCR) were 46.2% (95% CI, 27.1%-66.2%) and 69.2% (95% CI, 48.1%-84.9%), respectively. The median PFS, median OS and median DOR were 6.1 months (95% CI, 4.9-7.3), 16.5 months (95% CI, 5.0-28.0) and 5.0 months (95% CI, 2.0-8.0), respectively. Grade 3-4 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 32.1% of patients, with thrombocytopenia and bone marrow depression ranking the most frequent. No new safety signal was identified. Conclusions: In this study, ICIs combined with CAPOX not only showed high level of safety and efficacy, but also provided convenience in the treatment of unresectable advanced or recurrent BTC.

Durvalumab (D) plus tremelimumab (T) immunotherapy in patients (Pts) with advanced biliary tract carcinoma (BTC) after failure of platinum-based chemotherapy (CTx): Interim results of the IMMUNOBIL GERCOR D18-1 PRODIGE-57 study.

4108 Background: D (anti-PDL1) plus T (anti-CTLA-4) combination immunotherapy showed encouraging results in hepato-biliary cancers. Its efficacy in non-Asian Pts with pretreated BTC is unknown. Methods: IMMUNOBIL GERCOR-D18-1 PRODIGE-57 was initially a 2-arm, open-label, randomized non-comparative phase II study. Pts with recurrent/advanced pathologically proven BTC (intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma [iCCA]/extrahepatic CCA [eCCA]/gallbladder cancer [GC]), ECOG PS 0-1, pre-treated with platinum-based CTx were randomized (1:1) to D (1500 mg Q4W) plus T (75 mg Q4W x 4 cycles [T75]) (Arm A) or D plus T in combination with weekly paclitaxel (Arm B). Arm B was closed prematurely for toxicity after inclusion of 10 Pts. The study continued with Arm A only. It was further amended to modify the T schedule (300 mg at cycle 1 [T300], amended Arm A) due to higher efficacy reported in other tumors as compared to T75 mg x 4. The new primary endpoint was the overall survival (OS) rate at 6 months (M6) in amended Arm A (D + T300) with a Fleming two-stage design (H0: 50%, H1: 65%, one-sided alpha: 5%, power: 90%). A total of 100 evaluable Pts were required (efficacy threshold: 59%). We present here the efficacy data of Arm A (D + T75). Results: From 12/2018 to 12/2020, 106 Pts were included in Arm A; 103 were evaluable for OS at M6. Median age was 66 years, 47% were male, 46% had ECOG PS 0, 69%/18%/13% had iCCA/eCCA/GC, 76% had metastatic disease, and 28% had prior tumor resection. First-line CTx was GEMCIS/GEMOX/5-FU-based/other in 63%/22%/4%/11%. The M6-OS rate was 59.2%. With a median follow-up of 12 months (95% Cl 11.4-14.9), the median OS was 8.0 months (95% Cl 5.7-11.7) and median PFS was 2.5 months (95% Cl 2.0-3.2). Complete response (CR) was observed in 2 (1.9%) Pts, partial response (PR) in 8 (7.8%), and stable disease (SD) in 32 (31.1%), resulting in an objective response rate of 9.7% and a disease control rate of 40.8%. Absence of progression (PD, iRECIST) after 2 cycles (M6-OS rate: 84% vs 41%, median OS: 17.9 months vs 4.4 months) and CR/PR as a best overall response (M6-OS rate: 100% vs 84% and 39% for SD and PD, respectively) were associated with markedly prolonged OS. 65 (63.1%) Pts had ≥1 grade 3-4 (G3-4) adverse event (AE) and 22 (21.4%) had ≥1 G3-4 treatment-related AE (TRAE). The most commonly reported G3-4 AEs were fatigue (12.6%), abdominal pain (5.8%), and aspartate aminotransferase increase (5.8%) and G3-4 TRAEs were fatigue (4.9%) and diarrhea (2.9%). One death was possibly related to treatment. Conclusions: Although no statistical conclusions can be drawn from this exploratory analysis of Arm A, D+T75 reached the pre-defined threshold for efficacy, with no unexpected toxicity. Results from amended Arm A (D+T300, N = 106 additional Pts), quality of life, and ancillary studies are pending. Clinical trial information: NCT03704480.

Lenvatinib Beyond First-Line Therapy in Patients With Advanced Biliary Tract Carcinoma.

IntroductionLenvatinib, a multiple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors that target vascular endothelial growth factor receptors and fibroblast growth factor receptors, recently demonstrated a treatment effect in various tumors. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib for patients with biliary tract cancers (BTCs) who had received ≥1 line of prior systemic anti-BTC therapy.MethodsThis open-label, single-arm study included adult (≥18 years) patients with histologically confirmed BTC. Efficacy and safety were evaluated based on the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors RECIST Version 1.1 (RECIST 1.1) and the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE version 4.0). Changes in tumor biomarkers throughout the treatment period were recorded.Results41 patients received lenvatinib treatment. The ORR was 12% (95% CI: 1.7–22.7), with a median PFS of 3.8 months (95% CI: 1.3–6.3) and an OS of 11.4 months (95% CI: 6.6–16.2). Thirty-nine (95.1%) patients experienced ≥1 treatment-related adverse event. Decreasing carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) level predicted tumor size reduction in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with a sensitivity of 77.7% and a specificity of 73.9%.ConclusionsLenvatinib which was individualized based on the patient’s weight has promising clinical activity against advanced BTC and had an acceptable safety profile. Additionally, serum biomarkers and gene sequencing may hold the potential to guide our treatment.

Quality of Life and Symptom Management in Advanced Biliary Tract Cancers.

Simple SummaryPatients with advanced BTC have poor prognosis and frequently experience symptoms that adversely impact their quality of life. In this review, we explore the potential complications of advanced BTC and its treatments. We also review the possible strategies and interventions available to manage these adverse events.Biliary tract carcinomas (BTCs) account for less than 1% of all cancers but are increasing in incidence. Prognosis is poor for BTC patients, with 5-year survival rates of less than 10%. While chemotherapy has been the mainstay treatment for patients with advanced BTC, immunotherapy and targeted therapies are being evaluated in numerous clinical trials and rapidly incorporated into clinical practice. As patients with BTC have reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL) due to both tumor- and treatment-related symptoms, it is important for clinicians to recognize and manage these symptoms early. This review will highlight the anticipated complications from BTC and its systemic treatment, as well as their effects on HRQoL.

A pilot study of the combination of checkpoint inhibition with ablation in subjects with biliary tract cancer.

e16150 Background: Immune checkpoint inhibition has demonstrated modest activity in biliary tract carcinoma (BTC). Augmentation of the immune response by ablative procedures to improve efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibition has been previously demonstrated in hepatocellular carcinoma, however the outcome of the combination of immune checkpoint inhibition with tremelimumab (anti-CTLA4) and durvalumab (anti-PD1) with ablation in advanced biliary tract carcinoma is unclear. The primary objective of this study was to establish the efficacy via 6-month progression-free survival (PFS) of combining tremelimumab and durvalumab in patients with advanced BTC either alone or with tumor ablation. Secondary objectives were safety and feasibility of combination treatment. An exploratory objective was overall survival (OS). Methods: Eligible patients had histologically confirmed advanced or unresectable BTC (intra- or extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder cancer, or ampullary cancer) who had progressed on, been intolerant to, or refused prior chemotherapy. Disease had to be technically amenable to cryoablation with at least two measurable lesions. Adequate organ function and an ECOG of 0 or 1 were required. Patients were treated with tremelimumab and durvalumab with or without tumor ablation. Tremelimumab and durvalumab were administered intravenously every 28 days for four cycles followed by durvalumab every 28 days until disease progression. Cryoablation was performed on day 36. Patients were imaged every 8 weeks and response was defined per RECIST v 1.1 criteria. Results: In total, 22 patients have been enrolled into the BTC cohort. Half underwent ablation and half received immunotherapy alone. The median age was 59 years (range 21-80). All patients had received prior systemic chemotherapy, locally advanced disease was present in 68% of patients. Median PFS was 2.1m and median OS was 5.6 m. DCR was 45% (SD). Median OS and PFS was similar in the group that received ablation vs immunotherapy alone with a median OS of 6.8 m vs 6.7 m and 2.0 m vs 2.7 m respectively. The most common grade 3- 4 adverse events were lymphopenia (27%), increased AST (41%), increased alkaline phosphatase (32%) and elevated bilirubin (27%). Conclusions: Combination checkpoint inhibition combined with tumor ablative procedures is a safe and effective treatment strategy for patients with advanced BTC, however the addition of ablative therapy may not enhance efficacy in this small cohort of patients. Results illustrate the poor prognosis of advanced BTC and may represent a non-chemotherapeutic approach to treatment in this patient population. Further studies are warranted to identify patient populations most likely to respond to these interventions. Clinical trial information: NCT02821754.

Abstract CT283: KEYNOTE-966: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 study of pembrolizumab in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin for the treatment of advanced biliary tract carcinoma

Abstract Background: Biliary tract cancer (BTC), including intra- or extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and gallbladder cancer, is an aggressive malignancy with limited treatment options. Most patients (pts) present with advanced or unresectable disease, for which the current first-line standard of care is gemcitabine with cisplatin. Prognosis for these pts is poor, with median survival of approximately 12 months. Pembrolizumab (pembro) has improved outcomes when combined with platinum-based chemotherapy in other tumor types (eg, gastric/GEJ, NSCLC). The randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, phase 3 KEYNOTE-966 trial (NCT04003636) will be conducted to evaluate pembro plus gemcitabine and cisplatin compared with placebo plus gemcitabine and cisplatin in pts with metastatic or unresectable locally advanced BTC. Methods: Pts will be randomly assigned 1:1 to receive pembro 200 mg or placebo IV every 3 weeks plus gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 IV and cisplatin 25 mg/m2 IV on days 1 and 8 of every 3-week cycle. Cisplatin will be given for a maximum of 8 cycles. Treatment with pembro/placebo will continue for up to 35 administrations or until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal from the study. Gemcitabine will be continued until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal from the study. Pts will be stratified by region (Asia, non-Asia), stage (locally advanced, metastatic), and site of origin (gallbladder, intrahepatic CCA, or extrahepatic CCA). Key eligibility criteria are age ≥18 years; histologically confirmed metastatic or unresectable locally advanced BTC, measurable by RECIST v1.1; no prior systemic therapy for advanced BTC; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1; and tumor sample adequate for biomarker analyses. Pts with past or ongoing hepatitis C or controlled hepatitis B virus infection are eligible per protocol-defined criteria. During the initial stage, response will be assessed by imaging every 6 weeks until week 54 and every 12 weeks thereafter. Safety, assessed by CTCAE v.5.0, will be monitored throughout the study and for 30 days after treatment end or 90 days for serious adverse events. The primary end points are progression-free survival (as assessed by blinded independent central review) and overall survival (OS). Secondary end points are objective response rate, duration of response, and safety. Additional analyses will include disease control rate, health-related quality of life (by EORTC QLQ-C30, EuroQol EQ-5D, and EORTC QLQ-BIL21), and molecular and genetic biomarkers. The study opened to recruitment on September 24, 2019. Recruitment is underway in 17 countries and will continue until approximately 788 pts are enrolled. Citation Format: Richard S. Finn, Robin K. Kelley, Junji Furuse, Julien Edeline, Zhenggang Ren, Shu-Chih Su, Usha Malhotra, Abby B. Siegel, Juan W. Valle. KEYNOTE-966: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 study of pembrolizumab in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin for the treatment of advanced biliary tract carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr CT283.

Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer Treated with Gemcitabine plus Cisplatin (GEMCIS) and Novel Inflammatory Markers.

It is known that chronic inflammation plays an important role in the etiopathogenesis of biliary tract carcinoma (BTC). In this study, we wanted to examine the effect of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) on survival in advanced BTC treated with gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GEMCIS) regimen. Forty-two patients with advanced BTC treated with GEMCIS regimen were included in the study. Measurements for NLR, dNLR and PNI were calculated with available formulas. NLR, dNLR, and PNI values were dichotomized based on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis (cut-off values 3.94, 2.66, and 46, respectively). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors for 6-month progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) using a Cox proportional hazards model. The mean PFS was 5.3 (median 5) months, and the mean OS was 10.7 (median 11) months. The pre-treatment increased NLR (≥ 3.94) value was prognostic for lower 6-month PFS and 12-month OS rates. dNLR was not found to be important for survival times. Low PNI (< 36) value was prognostic for lower 6-month PFS and 12-month OS rates. In the multivariate analysis, increased NLR value was determined as an independent prognostic factor for 6-month PFS. In patients with advanced BTC using GEMCIS as the first-line chemotherapy regimen, NLR and PNI can be used as prognostic inflammatory markers for 6-month PFS and 12-month OS.

A phase II study of apatinib treatment for advanced biliary tract carcinoma after failure of the standard chemotherapy.

e16684 Background: There is no standard second-line therapy for advanced biliary tract carcinoma (BTC). Apatinib, a VEGFR2 tyrosine kynase inhibitor, showed an inhibitary effect on tumor formation in BTC tumorgraft mouse model in previous study, with tolerable toxicity in clinical trials for other types of advanced cancer such as gastric cancer. We conducted an exploratory study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of apatinib in patients with advanced BTC. Methods: This is a single-center, single-arm phase II study (NCT03427242). The key inclusion criteria were:(1) histologically confirmed advanced or metastatic BTC; (2) Prior lack of response or intolerance to at least one chemotherapeutic regimens; (3) At least one measurable lesion as defined by RECIST 1.1; (4) No prior use of anti-angiogenic targeted drugs. Eligible patients received oral apatinib 500mg each day continuously until unacceptable toxicity or tumor progression. The primary endpoint was progression free survival (PFS). The secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR) and treatment safety. Results: From Dec 1, 2017 to Jan 31, 2020, a total of 18 patients (12 males and 6 females) had been recruited, and 16 patients who had received the medication of apatinib were included in this analysis. Among these patients, 10 were previously treated with only first-line chemotherapy and 6 were treated with two or more lines of therapy. The median age was 65 (range 45-76) years old. Fourteen patients had received the efficacy evaluation after treatment. Two patients achieved partial response (PR, 14.3%), 6 patients with stable disease (SD, 42.9%),and 6 patients with progressive disease(PD). The ORR and DCR were 14.3% and 57.1%, respectively. At the last follow-up date on Jan 30, 2020, 4 patients are still on apatinib medication. The median PFS was 2.70 months (95% CI, 1.94 - 3.46), and the median OS was 7.03 months (95% CI, 3.16 - 10.9). Grade 3 or 4 adverse events were reported in 7 patients (43.8%). The detailed grade 3 or 4 adverse events were proteinuria in 5 patients, hand-foot syndrome in 2 patients, platelet count decrease in 1 patients, diarrhea in 1 patients and urine bilirubin in 1 patients (Table). Conclusions: For the patients with advanced biliary tract carcinoma, apatinib showed an anti-tumor activity with acceptable safety. Clinical trial information: NCT03427242 . [Table: see text]