Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of EGFR, VEGF, and HER2 expression in cholangiocarcinoma. Br J Cancer. 2008;98:418-425. [PMID: 18087285 PMCID: PMC2361442 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6604129]

Moving forward in the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma

Despite being the second most frequent primary liver tumor in humans, early diagnosis and treatment of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) are still unsatisfactory. In fact, survival after 5 years is expected in less than one fourth of patients diagnosed with this disease. Rare incidence, late appearance of symptoms and heterogeneous biology are all factors contributing to our limited knowledge of this cancer and determining its poor prognosis in the clinical setting. Several efforts have been made in the last decades in order to achieve an improved classification/understanding with regard to the diverse CCA forms. Location within the biliary tree has helped to distinguish between intrahepatic, perihilar and distal CCA types. Sequence analysis contributed to identifying several characteristic genetic aberrations in CCA that may also serve as possible targets for therapy. Novel findings are expected to significantly improve the management of this malignancy in the near future. In this changing scenario our review focuses on the current and future strategies for CCA treatment. Both systemic and surgical treatments are discussed in detail. The results of the main studies in this field are reported, together with the ongoing trials. The current findings suggest that an integrated multidisciplinary approach to this malignancy would be helpful to improve its outcome.

Varlitinib plus capecitabine in second-line advanced biliary tract cancer: a randomized, phase II study (TreeTopp)

Background

Patients with advanced biliary tract cancer who progress on first-line therapy have limited treatment options. The TreeTopp study assessed varlitinib, a reversible small molecule pan-human epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor, plus capecitabine in previously treated advanced biliary tract cancer.

Patients and methods

This global, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase II study enrolled patients with confirmed unresectable or metastatic biliary tract cancer and disease progression after one prior line of gemcitabine-containing chemotherapy. Patients received oral varlitinib 300 mg or placebo twice daily (b.i.d.) for 21 days, plus oral capecitabine 1000 mg/m² b.i.d. on days 1-14, in 21-day treatment cycles. Co-primary endpoints were objective response rate and progression-free survival (PFS) according to RECIST v1.1 by Independent Central Review.

Results

In total, 127 patients received varlitinib plus capecitabine (n = 64) or placebo plus capecitabine (n = 63). The objective response rate was 9.4% with varlitinib plus capecitabine versus 4.8% with capecitabine alone (odds ratio 2.28; P = 0.42). Median PFS was 2.83 versus 2.79 months [hazard ratio (HR), 0.90; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.60-1.37; P = 0.63] and overall survival was 7.8 versus 7.5 months (HR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.69-1.79; P = 0.66), respectively. In a subgroup analysis, the addition of varlitinib appeared to provide a PFS benefit in female patients (median, 4.1 versus 2.8 months; HR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.28-1.23) and those with gallbladder cancer (median, 2.9 versus 1.6 months; HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.26-1.19). Grade ≥3 treatment-emergent adverse events were reported in 65.6% of patients receiving varlitinib plus capecitabine versus 58.7% of those receiving capecitabine alone.

Conclusions

In patients with advanced biliary tract cancer, second-line treatment with varlitinib plus capecitabine was well tolerated but did not improve efficacy versus capecitabine alone. A PFS benefit was suggested in female patients and those with gallbladder cancer.

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In advanced biliary tract cancer, second-line varlitinib plus capecitabine did not improve efficacy versus capecitabine alone.

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Varlitinib was well tolerated in combination with capecitabine.

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Subgroup analyses suggested varlitinib plus capecitabine may benefit female patients and those with gallbladder cancer.

Carbonic Anhydrase IX Inhibitors as Candidates for Combination Therapy of Solid Tumors

Combination therapy is becoming imperative for the treatment of many cancers, as it provides a higher chance of avoiding drug resistance and tumor recurrence. Among the resistance-conferring factors, the tumor microenvironment plays a major role, and therefore, represents a viable target for adjuvant therapeutic agents. Thus, hypoxia and extracellular acidosis are known to select for the most aggressive and resilient phenotypes and build poorly responsive regions of the tumor mass. Carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) IX isoform is a surficial zinc metalloenzyme that is proven to play a central role in regulating intra and extracellular pH, as well as modulating invasion and metastasis processes. With its strong association and distribution in various tumor tissues and well-known druggability, this protein holds great promise as a target to pharmacologically interfere with the tumor microenvironment by using drug combination regimens. In the present review, we summarized recent publications revealing the potential of CA IX inhibitors to intensify cancer chemotherapy and overcome drug resistance in preclinical settings.

Emerging treatment evolutions and integrated molecular characteristics of biliary tract cancers

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) consist of a group of highly heterogeneous malignancies that are characterized by genomic differences among tumors from different anatomic sites. The current treatment for BTC includes surgery, chemotherapy, target therapy, and immunotherapy. Although surgery remains the primary option for localized disease, representing the only potential curative treatment, a high risk of recurrence cannot be neglected. Chemotherapy has been considered the standard of care for both advanced and metastatic disease and in adjuvant settings. However, drug resistance is a major obstacle associated with chemotherapy. The development of genetic testing technologies, including next-generation sequencing, has opened the door for the identification of drug targets and candidate molecules. A series of preclinical studies has demonstrated the role of gene mutations, abnormal signaling pathways, and immunosuppression in the pathogenesis of BTC, laying the foundation for the application of targeted therapy and immunotherapy. A variety of molecularly targeted agents, including pemigatinib, have shown promising survival benefits in patients with advanced disease. The rapidly evolving role of multimodal therapy represents the subject of this review.

Cholangiocarcinoma: new perspectives for new horizons

INTRODUCTION

Biliary tract cancer represents a heterogeneous group of malignancies characterized by dismal prognosis and scarce therapeutic options.

AREA COVERED

In the last years, a growing interest in BTC pathology has emerged, thus highlighting a significant heterogeneity of the pathways underlying the carcinogenesis process, from both a molecular and genomic point of view. A better understanding of these differences is mandatory to deepen the behavior of this complex disease, as well as to identify new targetable target mutations, with the aim to improve the survival outcomes. The authors decided to provide a comprehensive overview of the recent highlights on BTCs, with a special focus on the genetic, epigenetic and molecular alterations, which may have an interesting clinical application in the next future.

EXPERT OPINION

In the last years, the efforts resulted from international collaborations have led to the identification of new promising targets for precision medicine approaches in the BTC setting. Further investigations and prospective trials are needed, but the hope is that these new knowledge in cooperation with the new technologies and procedures, including bio-molecular and genomic analysis as well radiomic studies, will enrich the therapeutic armamentarium thus improving the survival outcomes in a such lethal and complex disease.

A review of molecularly targeted therapy in biliary tract carcinoma: what is the next step?

Patients with unresectable biliary tract carcinomas (BTCs) have a poor prognosis with a median overall survival of fewer than 12 months following systemic chemotherapy. In recent years, the identification of distinct molecular alterations with corresponding targeted therapies is modifying this therapeutic algorithm. The aim of this review is to present an overview of targeted therapy for BTCs, describing published available data and potential future challenges in ongoing trials. From clinicaltrials.gov online database all ongoing trials for BTCs (any stage) was examinated in July 2021, and data regarding study design, disease characteristics and type of treatments were registered. Oncogenic-driven therapy (targeted therapy) was investigated in 67 trials. According to research, 15 ongoing trials (22.4%) are investigating fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor (FGFR)-inhibitors in BTCs. Three (18.7%) are open-label randomized multicenter phase 3 trials, 8 (50%) are single-arm phase two trials, and 4 (25%) are phase one studies. Twelve (17.9%) clinical trials dealt with isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) 1/2 targeting therapy either in combination with cisplatin (Cis) and gemcitabine (Gem) as first-line treatment for BTCs or in monotherapy in patients with IDH1 mutant advanced malignancies, including cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Nine (13.4%) clinical trials tested human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) 2 targeting therapy. Four (44.4%) studies are phase I trials, two (22.2%) are phase I/II trials, and three (33.3%) phase II trials. Rare molecular alterations in BTCs, such as anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), c-ros oncogene1 receptor tyrosine kinase (ROS1), and v-RAF murine sarcoma viral oncogene homologue B1 (BRAF), are also under investigation in a few trials. Forty-four clinical trials (17.2%) are investigating not oncogenic-driven multitarget therapy like multireceptor tyrosin kinase inhibitors and antiangiogenetic agents. In conclusion, this review shows that BTCs management is experiencing important innovations, especially in biomarker-based patient selection and in the new emerging therapeutic approach. Many ongoing trials could answer questions regarding the role of molecular inhibitors leading to new therapeutic frontiers for molecular subcategories of BTCs.

Recent Advances in the Mechanism Research and Clinical Treatment of Anti-Angiogenesis in Biliary Tract Cancer

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs), including cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and gallbladder cancer (GC), are malignancies originating from the biliary tract with poor prognosis. In the early stage of BTCs, surgery is the only choice for cure. Unfortunately, most patients with BTC are diagnosed at an advanced stage and lose the opportunity for surgery. For many advanced solid tumors, antiangiogenic therapy has achieved encouraging results. While most clinical studies on antiangiogenic therapy in advanced BTCs have shown an excellent disease control rate (DCR), the improvement in overall survival (OS) is controversial. Understanding how the relevant signaling molecules influence the angiogenic response and the functional interaction is necessary for the formulation of new treatment regimens and the selection of enrolled patients. In this review, we aim to summarize and discuss the latest advances in antiangeogenesis for BTCs, mainly focusing on the molecular mechanism of angiogenesis in BTCs and the therapeutic effects from clinical trials. Furthermore, the horizon of antiangiogenesis for BTCs is highlighted.

Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: A Summative Review of Biomarkers and Targeted Therapies

Simple Summary

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is the second most common primary liver malignancy. Among patients with operable disease, surgical resection is the cornerstone of therapy. Among the majority of patients who present with advanced disease treatment, systemic or targeted therapy is indicated. Recent advancements have provided more novel therapeutic approaches to a subset of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Abstract

Although rare, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is the second most common primary hepatic malignancy and the incidence of ICC has increased 14% per year in recent decades. Treatment of ICC remains difficult as most people present with advanced disease not amenable to curative-intent surgical resection. Even among patients with operable disease, margin-negative surgical resection can be difficult to achieve and the incidence of recurrence remains high. As such, there has been considerable interest in systemic chemotherapy and targeted therapy for ICC. Over the last decade, the understanding of the molecular and genetic foundations of ICC has reshaped treatment approaches and strategies. Next-generation sequencing has revealed that most ICC tumors have at least one targetable mutation. These advancements have led to multiple clinical trials to examine the safety and efficacy of novel therapeutics that target tumor-specific molecular and genetic aberrations. While these advancements have demonstrated survival benefit in early phase clinical trials, continued investigation in randomized larger-scale trials is needed to further define the potential clinical impact of such therapy.

Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: A Summative Review of Biomarkers and Targeted Therapies

Although rare, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is the second most common primary hepatic malignancy and the incidence of ICC has increased 14% per year in recent decades. Treatment of ICC remains difficult as most people present with advanced disease not amenable to curative-intent surgical resection. Even among patients with operable disease, margin-negative surgical resection can be difficult to achieve and the incidence of recurrence remains high. As such, there has been considerable interest in systemic chemotherapy and targeted therapy for ICC. Over the last decade, the understanding of the molecular and genetic foundations of ICC has reshaped treatment approaches and strategies. Next-generation sequencing has revealed that most ICC tumors have at least one targetable mutation. These advancements have led to multiple clinical trials to examine the safety and efficacy of novel therapeutics that target tumor-specific molecular and genetic aberrations. While these advancements have demonstrated survival benefit in early phase clinical trials, continued investigation in randomized larger-scale trials is needed to further define the potential clinical impact of such therapy.

Evaluation of Angiogenesis and Pathological Classification of Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma by Dynamic MR Imaging for E-Healthcare

For staging cholangiocarcinoma and determining respectability, MR is an accurate noninvasive method which provides size of tumor and vascular patency information. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) is a noninvasive inspection method for evaluating the vascular structure and functional characteristics of tumor tissue. However, some limitations should be noted about the technology. At present, the technology cannot be used alone, which is just an assisted method during the conventional MRI examination. 50 ECC patients, admitted to Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital between 2016 and 2019, were selected as research subjects. They were classified pathologically according to the Steiner classification system. After image processing, regions of interest (ROIs) were selected from the image to measure the rate constant (Kep), extravascular space volume fraction (Ve), and tissue volume transfer constant (Ktrans). There were 15 cases with highly differentiated carcinoma, 23 cases with moderately differentiated carcinoma, and 12 cases with lowly differentiated carcinoma. Non-VEGF expression was noted in 21 cases, with low expression noted in 15 cases, moderate expression noted in 14 cases, and no high expression case noted. The relevant parameters in the dynamic MRI image can quantitatively reflect the angiogenesis and pathological classification of ECC, which is suggested in the clinical treatment of ECC. The Ktrans, Kep, and Ve values of the ECC patients were all not associated with the pathological classification, with no significant difference (P < 0.05). Besides, due to the fact that the patient cannot completely hold his breath, the air leak reduces the image quality.

Current and emerging therapies for advanced biliary tract cancers

Biliary tract cancers (cholangiocarcinomas and gallbladder cancers) are increasing in incidence and have a poor prognosis. Most patients present with advanced disease, for which the treatment is palliative chemotherapy. Over the past few years, the genomic landscape of biliary tract cancers has been examined and several targeted therapies have been developed. Molecular targets with clinically meaningful activity include fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR), isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), RAS-RAF-MEK (MAP2K1)-ERK (MAPK3), HER2 (also known as ERBB2), DNA mismatch repair, and NTRK. Pemigatinib, a FGFR1-3 inhibitor, showed encouraging response rates and survival data as second-line treatment and received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in April, 2020, for previously treated advanced or metastatic cholangiocarcinoma with FGFR2 gene fusion or rearrangements. Ivosidenib, an IDH1 inhibitor, showed improved progression-free survival versus placebo in second-line treatment in the phase 3 ClarIDHy trial. Early phase trials of dabrafenib plus trametinib (BRAF and MEK inhibition) and zanidatamab (a bispecific HER2-antibody) have yielded encouraging response rates. Immunotherapy has mainly produced responses in tumours with deficient mismatch repair or high microsatellite instability (also known as dMMR or MSI-H) or higher PD-L1 score, or both. However, early phase trials of immunotherapy plus chemotherapy in unselected patient populations appear promising. NTRK inhibitors have also shown promise in early phase trials of NTRK-fusion positive solid tumours, including cholangiocarcinoma. In this Review, we discuss current and emerging therapies for advanced biliary tract cancers, with a focus on molecularly targeted therapy.

Potential utility of liquid biopsies in the management of patients with biliary tract cancers: A review

Biliary tract cancer, comprising gallbladder cancer, cholangiocarcinoma and ampullary cancer, represents a more uncommon entity outside high-endemic areas, though global incidence is rising. The majority of patients present at a late stage, and 5-year survival remains poor. Advanced stage disease is incurable, and though palliative chemotherapy has been shown to improve survival, further diagnostic and therapeutic options are required in order to improve patient outcomes. Although certain subtypes of biliary tract cancer are relatively rich in targetable mutations, attaining tumour tissue for histological diagnosis and treatment monitoring is challenging due to locoregional anatomical constraints and patient fitness. Liquid biopsies offer a safe and convenient alternative to invasive procedures and have great potential as diagnostic, predictive and prognostic biomarkers. In this review, the current standard of care for patients with biliary tract cancer, future treatment horizons and the possible utility of liquid biopsies within a variety of contexts will be discussed. Circulating tumour DNA, circulating microRNA and circulating tumour cells are discussed with an overview of their potential applications in management of biliary tract cancer. A summary is also provided of currently recruiting clinical trials incorporating liquid biopsies within biliary tract cancer research.

A single-arm, multicenter, open-label phase 2 trial of surufatinib in patients with unresectable or metastatic biliary tract cancer

BACKGROUND

Several clinical studies of vascular endothelial growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGF/VEGFR) therapy as a second-line treatment for biliary tract cancer (BTC) have shown modest efficacy. In this study, surufatinib was evaluated as a second-line VEGFR therapy in patients with BTC.

METHODS

This was a single-arm, multicenter, open-label phase 2 study conducted in China. The study enrolled eligible patients with BTC, who had received surufatinib monotherapy as second-line treatment, at a dose of 300 mg, once daily, in 28-day cycles. Tumor assessments were performed every 8 weeks (±7 days) according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1.

RESULTS

As of November 30, 2018, 39 patients with BTC, including 29 (74.4%) with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, 5 (12.8%) with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and 5 (12.8%) with gallbladder cancer, were enrolled and treated with surufatinib. The 16-week progression-free survival rate was 46.33% (95% CI, 24.38-65.73), with median progression-free survival of 3.7 months and median overall survival of 6.9 months. In addition, results from subgroup and post hoc analyses revealed that patients with the proper tumor locations or appropriate levels of serum biomarkers might receive greater clinical benefits. The top 3 treatment-related adverse events with severity of grade ≥3 included blood bilirubin increased (20.5%), hypertension (17.9%), and proteinuria (12.8%).

CONCLUSIONS

When applied in the treatment of patients with BTC, surufatinib monotherapy has offered moderate clinical efficacy and shown expected tolerability and safety profiles.

A Novel Combination of Bevacizumab with Chemotherapy Improves Therapeutic Effects for Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer: A Retrospective, Observational Study

BACKGROUND

Biliary tract cancer (BTC) is a heterogenous collection of biliary tract cancer at different primary sites, and the prognosis of advanced BTC is dismal. Systemic chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC) has been the reference regimen since 2010. How to improve therapeutic effects of GC regimen is an urgent mission at present.

METHODS

Bevacizumab with a reduced dosage and modified schedule (10 mg/Kg/triweekly, 1 day before GS at the first 2 cycles) was combined with standard GC for patients with advanced BTC. Tumor response was assessed using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 every 2 months. Kaplan-Meier curves were estimated for time-to-treatment failure (TTF), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

RESULT

A total of thirty cases of advanced BTC accepted this treatment, and the overall response rate (ORR) was 50.0%, and the disease control rate was 80.0% for all patients. The median TTF was 5.8 months, the median PFS was 8.4 months, and the median OS was 13.6 months. Most responses were noted at the first evaluation. Adverse effects (AEs) were mostly tolerable.

CONCLUSIONS

After modifying the schedule, adding bevacizumab to a traditional GC regimen could increase the ORR with a shorter time-to-response, a better PFS and OS than GC alone but without the addition of AE. This regimen can be applied to patients with advanced BTC, especially those who are with a big tumor burden and who need a rapid response.

Significant Response to Camrelizumab Plus Targeted Drugs in Recurrent Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: a Case Report and Literature Review

Purpose

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is the second most common primary liver cancer, and is associated with a poor prognosis and rising incidence rate.

Methods

Here, we reported the case of a middle-aged Asian male who presented with a 9.5-cm liver lesion and was diagnosed with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Results

The patient experienced recurrence three times, twice following radical resection and standard adjuvant chemotherapy and once following camrelizumab plus apatinib, after which the tumor progressed with elevated CA 19.9 level. After tissue biopsy for next-generation sequencing, apatinib was replaced by lenvatinib, and the patient achieved disease control again, with a progression-free survival of 10 months.

Conclusion

Combined immunotherapy and targeted therapy regimens are a promising approach for refractory intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Further well-designed prospective clinical trials are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety. Since intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is characterized by high heterogeneity and with complex crosstalk among oncogenic pathways, further exploration is required to more deeply understand the mechanism of action of this treatment approach and guide individualized treatment selection.

Plasmalemma vesicle-associated protein promotes angiogenesis in cholangiocarcinoma via the DKK1/CKAP4/PI3K signaling pathway

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is aggressive and has poor clinical outcomes because of typically delayed diagnosis and a lack of effective non-surgical therapeutic options. Recent studies have shown that plasmalemma vesicle-associated protein (PLVAP) is related to angiogenesis in various tumors, and in vivo PLVAP targeting therapy has been proven effective against hepatocellular carcinoma and pancreatic cancer. The goal of this study was to determine the potential therapeutic utility of targeting PLVAP and thus angiogenesis in CCA and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. We found that the PLVAP expression levels were significantly higher in CCA tissues when compared with matched adjacent non-tumor tissues obtained from a total of 90 CCA patients; higher expression levels of PLVAP were associated with shorter overall survival of patients. In addition, overexpression of PLVAP was associated with higher micro-vessel density in CCA tissues. In a PLVAP overexpressing CCA patient-derived xenograft model, a novel humanized anti-PLVAP antibody in combination with Gemcitabine plus Cisplatin was significantly inhibited tumor growth. Molecular analysis of CCA cells co-cultured with human umbilical vascular endothelial cells or human hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells showed that Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1) secreted by CCA cells activated the PI3K/Akt pathway after binding to its receptor, cytoskeleton-associated protein 4 (CKAP4), resulting in the upregulation of PLVAP. Thus, CCA cells increased the angiogenic potency of endothelial cells in a paracrine fashion. Consistently, patients bearing CKAP4 and PLVAP overexpressing tumors had a poor prognosis. In conclusion, the DKK1/CKAP4/PI3K/PLVAP pathway increases angiogenesis in CCA and is therefore a potential anti-angiogenic target.

Biomarkers in Hepatobiliary Cancers: What is Useful in Clinical Practice?

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and biliary tract cancers (BTC) exhibit a poor prognosis with 5-year overall survival rates around 15%, all stages combined. Most of these primary liver malignancies are metastatic at diagnostic, with only limited therapeutic options, relying mainly on systemic therapies. Treatment modalities are different yet partially overlapping between HCC and BTC. The complex molecular profile of BTC yields to several actionable therapeutic targets, contrary to HCC that remains the field of antiangiogenic drugs in non-molecularly selected patients. Immunotherapy is now validated in the first line in HCC in combination with bevacizumab, while clinical activity of single agent immunotherapy appears limited to a subset of patients in BTC, still poorly characterized, and combinations are currently under investigation. In this review, we provide a critical evaluation and grading of clinical relevance on (i) the main prognostic biomarkers in HCC and BTC, (ii) the main theragnostic biomarkers in both tumors, and lastly (iii) what is recommended in clinical practice.

Molecular Landscape and Therapeutic Strategies in Cholangiocarcinoma: An Integrated Translational Approach towards Precision Medicine

Cholangiocarcinomas (CCAs) are heterogeneous biliary tract malignancies with dismal prognosis, mainly due to tumor aggressiveness, late diagnosis, and poor response to current therapeutic options. High-throughput technologies have been used as a fundamental tool in unveiling CCA molecular landscape, and several molecular classifications have been proposed, leading to various targeted therapy trials. In this review, we aim to analyze the critical issues concerning the status of precision medicine in CCA, discussing molecular signatures and clusters, related to both anatomical classification and different etiopathogenesis, and the latest therapeutic strategies. Furthermore, we propose an integrated approach comprising the CCA molecular mechanism, pathobiology, clinical and histological findings, and treatment perspectives for the ultimate purpose of improving the methods of patient allocations in clinical trials and the response to personalized therapies.

Anti-angiogenic effects of beta-eudesmol and atractylodin in developing zebrafish embryos

Angiogenesis is the process of formation of new blood vessels which plays an essential role in the normal physiological development of the organs and systems. Several factors contribute to and regulate this process. Unregulated angiogenesis, however, is harmful and is usually found in tumors and cancerous cells. β-Eudesmol and atractylodin are sesquiterpenoid contents extracted from the rhizome of Atractylodes lancea (AL). Reports suggest potential anti-angiogenic activities of both compounds. In this study, the anti-angiogenic activities of both compounds were investigated using the well-established zebrafish in vivo model. Zebrafish embryos were treated with a series of concentrations (6.3, 12.5, 25, and 50 μM) of β-eudesmol and (6.3, 12.5, and 25 μM) of atractylodin up to 72 h post-fertilization. Assessment of the effects on phenotypic blood vessel development (sub-intestinal vessel intersection count) revealed that both the compounds inhibited vessel development, particularly at higher concentrations. At the genetic levels, only β-eudesmol significantly downregulated the expression of the Vegfaa gene and also its receptor Vegfr2. β-Eudesmol also affected the expression of Vegfaa protein in a concentration-dependent manner. Results indicate that β-eudesmol exerts anti-angiogenic property through inhibition of Vegfaa at both the gene and protein levels. However, atractylodin does not possess this property.

ESR1 as a recurrence-related gene in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a weighted gene coexpression network analysis

Background

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is the second most common malignant hepatic tumor and has a high postoperative recurrence rate and a poor prognosis. The key roles of most tumor recurrence-associated molecules in iCCA remain unclear. This study aimed to explore hub genes related to the postsurgical recurrence of iCCA.

Method

Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between iCCA samples and normal liver samples were screened from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and used to construct a weighted gene coexpression network. Module-trait correlations were calculated to identify the key module related to recurrence in iCCA patients. Genes in the key module were subjected to functional enrichment analysis, and candidate hub genes were filtered through coexpression and protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. Validation studies were conducted to detect the “real” hub gene. Furthermore, the biological functions and the underlying mechanism of the real hub gene in iCCA tumorigenesis and progression were determined via in vitro experiments.

Results

A total of 1019 DEGs were filtered and used to construct four coexpression modules. The red module, which showed the highest correlations with the recurrence status, family history, and day to death of patients, was identified as the key module. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses demonstrated that genes in the red module were enriched in genes and pathways related to tumorigenesis and tumor progression. We performed validation studies and identified estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), which significantly impacted the prognosis of iCCA patients, as the real hub gene related to the recurrence of iCCA. The in vitro experiments demonstrated that ESR1 overexpression significantly suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, whereas ESR1 knockdown elicited opposite effects. Further investigation into the mechanism demonstrated that ESR1 acts as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Conclusions

ESR1 was identified as the real hub gene related to the recurrence of iCCA that plays a critical tumor suppressor role in iCCA progression. ESR1 significantly impacts the prognosis of iCCA patients and markedly suppresses cholangiocarcinoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion by inhibiting JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-01929-5.

High glucose upregulates FOXM1 expression via EGFR/STAT3 dependent activation to promote progression of cholangiocarcinoma

AIMS

Epidemiological studies indicate diabetes mellitus and hyperglycemia as risk factors of cancers including cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). How high glucose promotes cancer development and progression, however, is still unrevealed. In this study, insight into the molecular pathway of high glucose promoting progression of CCA cells was investigated.

MAIN METHODS

Human CCA cell lines, KKU-213A and KKU-213B were cultured in normal glucose (NG; 5.56 mM) or high glucose (HG; 25 mM) and used as NG and HG cells. Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) expression was transiently suppressed using siFOXM1. Western blotting and image analysis were employed to semi-quantitatively determine the expression levels of the specified proteins. The migration and invasion of CCA cells were revealed using Boyden chamber assays.

KEY FINDINGS

All HG cells exhibited higher expression of FOXM1 than the corresponding NG cells in a dose dependent manner. Suppression of FOXM1 expression by siFOXM1 significantly reduced migration and invasion abilities of CCA cells by suppression of Slug and MMP2 expression. Inhibition of STAT3 activation using Stattic, significantly suppressed expression of FOXM1 and Slug and decreased migration and invasion abilities of HG cells. In addition, EGFR expression was significantly higher in HG cells than NG cells and increased dependently with glucose concentration. Inhibition of EGFR activation by cetuximab significantly suppressed STAT3 activation and FOXM1 expression.

SIGNIFICANCE

The mechanism of high glucose promoting progression of CCA cells was revealed to be via in part by upregulation of FOXM1 expression under EGF/EGFR and STAT3 dependent activation.

Cholangiocarcinoma: bridging the translational gap from preclinical to clinical development and implications for future therapy

Introduction: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a devastating liver tumor with a poor prognosis. While less than 50% of the patients with CCA may benefit from surgical resection, the rest undergoes chemotherapy with disappointing results (mean survival <2 years). Alternative pharmacological treatments are needed to improve the outcomes in patients with CCA.Areas covered: In this review, we discuss CCA-related (1) experimental systems used in preclinical studies; (2) pharmacological targets identified by genetic analysis; (3) results obtained in preliminary trials in human with their pros and cons; and (4) possible targeting of endocrinal modulation. A PubMed bibliographic search matching the term 'cholangiocarcinoma' with 'experimental model', 'preclinical model', 'genetic target', 'targeted therapy', 'clinical trial', or 'translational research' was conducted and manuscripts published between 2010 and 2020 were retrieved for reading and reviewing.Expert opinion: Several factors contribute to the translational gap between bench research and clinical practice in CCA. The tumor heterogeneity, lack of a preclinical model recapitulating the different features of CCA, and difficult patient enrollment in clinical trials are elements to consider for basic and clinical research in CCA. Establishment of international networks formed by experts in the field of CCA may improve future research and its translational findings on patients.

Targeting the tumor microenvironment in cholangiocarcinoma: implications for therapy

Introduction: Cholangiocarcinomas (CCAs) are biliary epithelial tumors with rising incidence over the past 3 decades. Early diagnosis of CCAs remains a significant challenge and the majority of patients present at an advanced stage. CCAs are heterogeneous tumors and currently available standard systemic therapy options are of limited effectiveness. Immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) has transformed cancer therapy across a spectrum of malignancies. However, the response rate to ICI has been relatively disappointing in CCAs owing to its desmoplastic tumor microenvironment (TME).Areas covered: Tumor microenvironment of CCAs consists of innate and adaptive cells, stromal cells, and extracellular components (cytokines, chemokines, exosomes, etc.). This intricate microenvironment has multiple immunosuppressive elements that promote tumor cell survival and therapeutic resistance. Accordingly, there is a need for the development of effective therapeutic strategies that target the TME. Herein, we review the components of the CCA TME, and potential therapies targeting the CCA TME.Expert opinion: CCAs are desmoplastic tumors with a dense tumor microenvironment. An enhanced understanding of the various components of the CCA TME is essential in the effort to develop novel biomarkers for patient stratification as well as combination therapeutic strategies that target the tumor plus the TME.

Immunotherapy in Advanced Biliary Tract Cancers

Biliary tract cancers are rare tumors with a poor prognosis. Two-thirds of these primary liver malignancies are diagnosed at advanced stages where therapeutic options are limited. Whereas several molecular targeted therapies emerge in biliary tract cancers, immunotherapy is still investigational, the only approved immunotherapy to date being the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab for the small fraction of patients with microsatellite-instable tumors. In microsatellite-stable, pre-treated biliary tract cancers, single-agent immune checkpoint blockade has a limited albeit often long-lasting clinical activity in a still ill-defined subgroup of patients. The identification of predictive biomarkers will allow a better selection of patients that may benefit from immunotherapy. Combinations of immunotherapies with each other, with chemotherapy or targeted molecular therapies are being investigated in early lines of therapy, including first-line.

Angiogenesis in biliary tract cancer: targeting and therapeutic potential

Introduction: Biliary Tract Cancer (BTC) is a heterogeneous group of malignant neoplasms with a complex molecular pathogenesis. The prognosis of metastatic disease is dramatically dismal and therapeutic options are scarce. Systemic chemotherapy is the gold standard for the metastatic disease. However, because of the disappointing results with conventional chemotherapy, investigators have turned to new biological therapeutic options targeting the main molecular pathways, neo-angiogenesis, involved in the disease pathogenesis.Areas covered: This paper examines the rationale of using antiangiogenic therapies in this setting, evaluates the therapeutic implications, and highlights ongoing studies and future perspectives. A Pubmed systematic review of preclinical and clinical data was performed which enabled the composition of this paper.Expert opinion: Amore in-depth understanding of the interplay between the neo-angiogenesis pathways, and the microenvironment will could propel the design new therapeutic strategies. Nowadays, the combination of antiangiogenic drugs and immune check-point inhibitors looks promising, but further, more comprehensive data are necessary to gain afuller picture. In an era of novel technologies and techniques, which includes radiomics, the challenge is to identify the biomarkers of response to antiangiogenic drugs which will permit the selection of patients that are more likely to respond to antiangiogenic therapies.

Rare cancer, rare alteration: the case of NTRK fusions in biliary tract cancers

Introduction: For patients with advanced/unresectable biliary tract cancers, cisplatin-gemcitabine combination is the standard first-line treatment. Beyond the first line, the therapeutic arsenal is limited with minimal benefit. Biliary tract cancers exhibit one of the highest frequencies of targetable molecular alterations across cancer types, and several targeted therapies are emerging as treatment options.Areas covered:We discuss neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor gene (NTRK) fusions in biliary tract cancers and the use of NTRK inhibitors (now approved in a 'cancer-agnostic' way), mechanisms of resistance, and emerging second-generation NTRK inhibitors.Expert opinion: Despite their rarity in biliary tract cancers, NTRK fusions are promising molecular targets because i) NTRK inhibitors have proven highly effective in NTRK-rearranged cancers and are now approved in a 'cancer-agnostic' way; ii) emerging second-generation NTRK inhibitors may overcome secondary resistance; iii) NTRK rearrangements will be readily detectable with the generalization of next-generation-sequencing in biliary tract cancers, including the detection of other frequent gene rearrangements, such as those involving the fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 gene (FGFR2). However, more data are necessary regarding the prevalence and characteristics of NTRK fusions in biliary tract cancers and the efficacy of NTRK inhibitors in these patients.

Current progress in systemic therapy for biliary tract cancers

BACKGROUND

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are heterogeneous cancers that include cancers of the bile duct and gallbladder. Although they are relatively uncommon, most patients with BTC are diagnosed at advanced-stage disease with high mortality rates. Recently, systemic therapy options for patients with BTC have evolved. This paper reviews recent advancements in systemic therapy and the results of key clinical trials in BTC.

METHODS

A literature search in PubMed and Google Scholar was performed using keywords related to BTC and systemic therapy. Studies that were presented in major international cancer research conferences were also included.

RESULTS

The evidence shows that adjuvant capecitabine has been associated with a lower relapse rate in early-stage BTC. In unselected patients with advanced BTC, combination chemotherapy is a standard treatment option. However, with a better understanding of the molecular profile of BTC, there has been a shift toward targeted agents in BTC that have shown promising responses. The evolving data also support the evolving role of immunotherapy in patients with deficient DNA mismatch repair or PD-L1-positive BTC.

DISCUSSION

Systemic treatment options for BTC have improved. The future identification of new targets, novel compounds, and predictive markers is a key step toward the use of personalized medicine in BTC.

Cholangiocarcinoma: shedding light on the most promising drugs in clinical development

Introduction: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a diverse group of fatal malignancies arising from the biliary tract. Surgical resection with negative margin offers the only potentially curative option. The majority of patients present at locally advanced or metastatic stages, when surgical resection is not feasible, highlighting the significance of systemic therapy. Given the limited effectiveness of traditional chemotherapy regimens in CCA, many investigators have focused on developing novel molecular therapies targeting key aberrant signaling pathways.Areas covered: We present the main genomic aberrations known to play a key role in cholangiocarcinogenesis and discuss promising targeted therapies in clinical development.In October of 2020, a review of the English literature was performed utilizing PubMed and Web of Science databases for the keywords of 'cholangiocarcinoma', 'biliary tract cancer', and 'targeted therapy'.Expert opinion: Unfortunately, despite encouraging results in preclinical studies, the outcome of clinical trials with established targeted therapies like anti-EGFR medications have been discouraging. Currently, agents targeting FGFR2 fusion and IDH1/2 mutations hold great promise for improving the management of CCA. Future studies focused on enhancing our understanding of key aberrant signaling pathways of cholangiocarcinogenesis and the design of homogeneous and biomarker-driven cohorts are key elements of establishing precision medicine in CCA.

Promising Molecular Targets for the Targeted Therapy of Biliary Tract Cancers: An Overview

Biliary tract cancer (BTC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death, due to the limited benefits of current systematic therapies and the heterogeneity of the tumor itself. High heterogeneity means that the clinical and molecular features vary between different subtypes of BTC, while the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Targeted therapy, where inhibitors are developed to selectively combine with targeted molecules in order to block abnormal signaling pathways in BTC, has shown promise as an emerging form of treatment for various types of cancer. In this article, a comprehensive review is conducted to examine potential molecular targets for BTC targeted therapy and their mechanisms. Furthermore, preliminary data published from clinical trials is utilized to analyze the main drugs used to combat BTC. The collective information presented in this article has provided useful insights into the current understanding of BTC.

Targeted therapies for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: preclinical and clinical development and prospects for the clinic

Introduction: Until recently, cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) was a largely overlooked disease, and among CCAs, extrahepatic CCA (eCCA) was even more neglected. Despite the growing impact of molecularly targeted therapies and immunotherapy, prognosis of eCCA is dismal. Therefore, unraveling the complex molecular landscape of eCCA has become an urgent need. Deep phenotyping studies have revealed that eCCA is a heterogeneous tumor, harboring specific alterations categorizable into four classes, 'Mesenchymal', 'Proliferation', 'Immune', 'Metabolic'. Molecular alterations convey the activation of several pro-oncogenic pathways, where either actionable drivers or outcome predictors can be identified.Areas covered: We offer insights on perturbed pathways, molecular profiling, and actionable targets in eCCA and present a perspective on the potential stepping-stones to future progress. A systematic literature search in PubMed/ClinicalTrials.gov websites was performed by authors from different disciplines according to their specific topic knowledge to identify the newest and most relevant advances in precision medicine of eCCA.Expert opinion: eCCA is a distinct entity with unique features in terms of molecular classes, oncogenic drivers, and tumor microenvironment. Since more prevalent mutations are currently undruggable, and immunotherapy can be offered only to a minority of patients, international collaborations are instrumental to improve the understanding of the molecular underpins of this disease.

The Effect of the EGFR - Targeting Compound 3-[(4-Phenylpyrimidin-2-yl) Amino] Benzene-1-Sulfonamide (13f) against Cholangiocarcinoma Cell Lines

OBJECTIVE

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a noxious malignancy of epithelium of the bile duct with a low response rate to chemotherapy. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway is implicated in the development of cancerous cells, especially CCA. In this study, we report detailed biological profiling of 13f identified from our earlier hit expansion studies. The aim of this work was to expand our understanding of 13f via more detailed investigations of its mechanism of action against KKU-100, KKU-452 and KKU-M156 CCA cells, as well as in comparison to the EGFR inhibitor Gefitinib and non-specific chemotherapeutic agents such as Cisplatin.

METHODS

Inhibiting EGFR-Kinase, cytotoxicity, clonogenic assay, wound healing and apoptosis were performed. Levels of total expression of EGFR and EGFR phosphorylation proteins were detected.

RESULTS

13f was confirmed as an inhibitor of EGFR with an IC50 value against the tyrosine kinase of EGFR of 22 nM and IC50 values for 48 h incubation period were 1.3 ± 1.9, 1.5 ± 0.4 and 1.7 ± 1.1 µM of KKU-100, KKU-452 and KKU-M156, respectively through dose- and time-dependent induction of early apoptosis of CCA cells. The compound also suppressed the clonogenic ability of KKU-100 and KKU-M156 cells stronger than Gefitinib, while potently inhibiting EGF-stimulated CCA cell migratory activity in KKU-452 cells. It was observed that under normal conditions EGFR was activated in CCA cells. EGF-stimulated basal expression of EGFR in KKU-452 cells was suppressed following 13f treatment, which was significantly greater than that of the marketed EGFR inhibitor Gefitinib.

CONCLUSION

In summary, our study showed that 13f has potent anti-cancer activities including antiproliferation, clonogenic ability and migration through the modulation of EGFR signaling pathway in CCA for the first time. The compound represents an interesting starting point as a potential chemotherapeutic agent in ongoing efforts to improve response rate in CCA patients.
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Pathogenesis of Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) encompasses a group of malignancies that can arise at any point in the biliary tree. Although considered a rare cancer, the incidence of CCA is increasing globally. The silent and asymptomatic nature of these tumors, particularly in their early stages, in combination with their high aggressiveness, intra- and intertumor heterogeneity, and chemoresistance, significantly compromises the efficacy of current therapeutic options, contributing to a dismal prognosis. During the last few years, increasing efforts have been made to unveil the etiologies and pathogenesis of these tumors and to develop more effective therapies. In this review, we summarize current findings in the field of CCA, mainly focusing on the mechanisms of pathogenesis, cells of origin, genomic and epigenetic abnormalities, molecular alterations, chemoresistance, and therapies.

Novel method for evaluating the indication for endoscopic papillectomy in patients with ampullary adenocarcinoma

This study aimed to determine the clinicopathological features of the subtypes of ampullary carcinoma (AC) to explore the indications for endoscopic papillectomy (EP) in early AC. Fifty-seven patients with AC who underwent curative resection were retrospectively reviewed. The 0/IA stages were significantly more common in the intestinal type (I-type) than in the mixed and pancreatobiliary type (M&PB-type) (90.7% vs 35.7%, P < 0.001). Tis/T1a tumors limited to the ampulla [Tis/T1a(ampulla)] were significantly more likely to be I-type than M&PB-type (74.4% vs 14.3%, P = 0.002). The tub1 rate was significantly higher in the I-type than in the M&PB-type (81.4% vs 35.7%, P = 0.001). In the I-type, the tub1 rate was significantly higher for Tis/T1a(ampulla) than for T1a tumors limited to the sphincter of Oddi (100% vs 42.9%, P = 0.004). These observations suggest that I-type AC with tub1 is an indication for EP. The concordance rate of pathological subtypes between endoscopic biopsy and resected specimens was high (κ = 0.8053, P < 0.001). Tis/T1a(ampulla) showed no lymphovascular or perineural invasion. An endoscopic imaging finding of early AC with I-type and tub1 on biopsy could be an indication for EP. Identifying the pathological subtype of AC by endoscopic biopsy could be a novel preoperative approach for evaluating the indications for EP.

Apatinib as non-first-line treatment in patients with Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Purpose: There is limited standard treatment for patients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma after refractory of chemotherapy. Apatinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting VEGFR-2, which exhibited broad-spectrum antitumor activities in previous studies. We aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of apatinib as non-first-line treatment in patients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma. Methods: This was a prospective open-label phase II trial (NCT03251443). Patients with pathology-confirmed cholangiocarcinoma after prior systemic therapy were enrolled. Participants were treated with apatinib 500 mg orally once daily. The primary end point was overall response rate (ORR). Results: Between August 8, 2017 and November 13, 2018, 30 patients participated in this study, and 26 patients received apatinib treatment except 4 patients withdrew consent before the first dosage. For full analysis set, the ORR was 11.5% and the disease control rate was 50.0%. 3 patients (11.5%) achieved partial response and no patients achieved complete response. The median progression free time was 2.0 (95% CI: 0.7-3.3) months and median overall survival was 9. 0 (95% CI: 4.6-13.4) months. The most common adverse events of any grade were fatigue (80.8%), hypertension (73.1%) and decreased appetite (38.5%). Grade 3 adverse events occurred in 23.1% patients and no grade 4 adverse events occurred. The most common grade 3 adverse events were hypertension (23.1%) and elevated transaminase (11.5%). Conclusion: Apatinib as non-first-line monotherapy has potential therapeutic efficacy in patients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma.

Feasibility of HER2-Targeted Therapy in Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer: A Prospective Pilot Study of Trastuzumab Biosimilar in Combination with Gemcitabine Plus Cisplatin

The prognosis of advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC) is poor with the standard gemcitabine and cisplatin (GemCis) regimen. Given that the rates of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positivity in BTC reaches around 15%, HER2-targeted therapy needs further investigation. This study aims to evaluate the preliminary efficacy/safety of first-line trastuzumab-pkrb plus GemCis in patients with advanced BTC. Patients with unresectable/metastatic HER2-positive BTC received trastuzumab-pkrb (on day 1 of each cycle, 8 mg/kg for the first cycle and 6 mg/kg for subsequent cycles), gemcitabine (1000 mg/m² on day 1 and 8) and cisplatin (25 mg/m² on day 1 and 8) every 3 weeks. Of the 41 patients screened, 7 had HER2-positive tumours and 4 were enrolled. The median age was 72.5 years (one male). Primary tumour locations included extrahepatic (N = 2) and intrahepatic (N = 1) bile ducts, and gallbladder (N = 1). Best overall response was a partial response in two patients and stable disease in two patients. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 6.1 months and median overall survival (OS) was not reached. The most common grade 3 adverse event was neutropenia (75%), but febrile neutropenia did not occur. No patient discontinued treatment due to adverse events. Trastuzumab-pkrb with GemCis showed promising preliminary feasibility in patients with HER2-positive advanced BTC.

Regorafenib, an investigational agent for the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Cholangiocarcinoma is a prevalent gastrointestinal cancer with a high mortality rate. A limited number of cholangiocarcinoma patients are diagnosed with early-stage disease but unfortunately, most patients present with an advanced-stage disease which is not amenable to curative surgical resection.

AREAS COVERED

We discuss regorafenib, a multi-kinase inhibitor, which has been investigated as a therapeutic agent in advanced stage biliary tract cancer patients in phase II trials. We examined the efficacy and toxicity of this agent and its potential in this patient population in the future. We also provide further insights on novel approaches to optimize the efficacy of regorafenib in cholangiocarcinoma patients.

EXPERT OPINION

The recent phase II trials of single-agent regorafenib in advanced stage biliary tumors revealed a modest activity in non enriched patient population and is currently part of the national comprehensive cancer network (NCCN) guidelines (Level 2B) in the refractory setting. However, more opportunities for this agent exist in combination approaches with other therapeutics such as immune checkpoint inhibitors. It is also important to recognize that the paradigm has significantly shifted for targeted therapy to more specific and more potent tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting specific actionable genes.

Experimental HER2- targeted therapies for biliary tract cancer

Introduction: Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) constitute a heterogeneous group of poor-prognosis solid tumors with limited treatment options. In the last decade, global efforts have tried to identify therapeutic targets by genomic profiling of BTC, unveiling several genetic aberrations that could play a prognostic and/or a predictive role in these malignancies.Areas covered: In this review, we will present an overview regarding the role of HER2 targeted therapies in BTC, with a particular focus on clinical studies carried out in this field to date and ongoing trials. A literature search was conducted in August 2020 of Pubmed/Medline, Cochrane library and Scopus databases for published preclinical and clinical studies; moreover, abstract of international cancer meetings (AACR, ASCO, and ESMO) were reviewed.Expert opinion: Despite recent advances in medical oncology, the overall survival of BTC patients remains low and there is an urgent need for novel and more effective treatments. Although HER2 blockade has been suggested to induce durable tumor responses in selected subjects with BTC, controversial results have been reported so far and data from ongoing prospective clinical trials are awaited to further clarify the role of anti-HER2 therapies in BTC.

ERBB2 Pathway in Biliary Tract Carcinoma: Clinical Implications of a Targetable Pathway

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Current chemotherapy regimens for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) yield poor outcomes, with a median overall survival of <12 months. Recent data on the genomic landscape of CCAs have created opportunities for targeted therapy. Yet, data regarding its efficacy are scarce. We aimed to describe the genomic landscape of a CCA patient cohort using next-generation sequencing (NGS), focusing on the ERBB/EFGR pathway and assessing response to anti-HER2 agents.

METHODS

Tissue samples of intrahepatic CCA (IHCC) and extrahepatic CCA (EHCC) underwent NGS for somatic aberrations. The clinical outcomes for patients treated with anti-HER2 agents were evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 1,863 CCA cases (1,615 IHCCs and 248 EHCCs) underwent NGS, and they revealed a high prevalence of ERBB alterations (IHCC, 4.2%; EHCC, 9.7%). Among these, 23.8% of the IHCCs and 53.6% of the EHCCs had a point mutation in ERBB2, and 66.6% of the IHCCs and 41.2% of the EHCCs had ERBB copy number amplification. Three EHCC patients were diagnosed at our institute with ERBB/EGFR aberrations; 2 patients were treated with neratinib and 1 patient with a chemotherapy-trastuzumab combination. All 3 achieved disease stabilization and a clinical benefit. One patient underwent a liquid biopsy before and after 3 months of treatment, demonstrating disappearance of the ERBB2 clone and emergence of a Myc-mutated clone after treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

The genomic landscape of CCAs may harbor targetable alterations, especially in the ERBB/EGFR pathway. These alterations may have clinical significance in everyday practice.

Therapy for advanced cholangiocarcinoma: Current knowledge and future potential

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a biliary epithelial tumour that can emerge at any point in the biliary tree. It is commonly classified based on its anatomical site of development into intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PCC) and distal cholangiocarcinoma (DCC), each of which is associated with varying patient demographics, molecular characteristics and treatment options. CCA patients have poor overall prognoses and 5‐year survival rates. Additionally, CCA is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, with surgical treatment restricted to early‐stage disease. Owing to an increase in the incidence of ICC, that of CCA is also on the rise, with a corresponding increase in the associated mortality, particularly in South America and Asia. Therefore, the development of an effective treatment is crucial to improve the survival of CCA patients. We aimed to systematically review the current understanding of advanced CCA treatment and discuss potential effective strategies.

Case Report: BAP1 Mutation and RAD21 Amplification as Predictive Biomarkers to PARP Inhibitor in Metastatic Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Introduction

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a rare hepatobiliary cancer characterized by a poor prognosis and a limited response to conventional therapies. Currently chemotherapy is the only therapeutic option for patients with Stage IV ICC. Due to the poor response rate, there is an urgent need to identify novel molecular targets to develop novel effective therapies. Precision oncology tests utilizing targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms have rapidly entered into clinical practice. Profiling the genome and transcriptome of cancer to identify potentially targetable oncogenic pathways may guide the clinical care of the patient.

Case presentation

We present a 56-year-old male patient affected with metastatic ICC, whose cancer underwent several precision oncology tests by different NGS platforms. A novel BAP1 mutation (splice site c.581-17_585del22) and a RAD21 amplification were identified by a commercial available platform on a metastatic lesion. No germline BAP1 mutations were identified. Several lines of evidences indicate that PARP inhibitor administration might be an effective treatment in presence of BAP1 and/or RAD21 alterations since both BAP1 and RAD21 are involved in the DNA repair pathway, BAP1 interacts with BRCA1 and BRCA1-mediated DNA repair pathway alterations enhance the sensitivity to PARP inhibitor administration. In this case, after failing conventional therapies, patient was treated with PARP inhibitor olaparib. The patient had a partial response according to RECIST criteria with an overall survival of 37.2 months from the time of diagnosis of his ICC. Following 11.0 months on olaparib treatment, sustained stable disease control is ongoing. The patient is still being treated with olaparib and no significant toxicity has been reported.

Conclusion

These findings have clinical relevance since we have shown PARP inhibitor as a potential treatment for ICC patients harboring BAP1 deletion and RAD21 amplification. We have also highlighted the utility of NGS platforms to identify targetable mutations within a cancer.

Serum IgG as a Marker for Opisthorchis viverrini-Associated Cholangiocarcinoma Correlated with HER2 Overexpression

BACKGROUND

Serum antibody for Opisthorchis viverrini (OV) is strong evidence for a history of OV infection in people. Currently, no studies have examined whether varying cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) prevalence levels are linked to previous OV infection nor have they provided comprehensive assessment and characterization of OV-associated CCA.

OBJECTIVE

Our study examined the prevalence of serum IgG antibodies for OV-positive CCA cases and determined whether there were correlations of IgG antibodies with histopathologic features, HER2, PD-L1, and FGFR2 expression, as well as their roles on the patients' survival.

METHODS

The study involved 221 CCA surgical patients at Khon Kaen University Hospital, Thailand, from 2005 to 2017. Serum specimens were tested for OV IgG by ELISA. CCA tissue microarrays were used to examined for HER2, PD-L1, and FGFR2 expression. Logistic regression was used to investigate an association between factors and IgG. Cox regression was used to determine factors that affected CCA patient survival.

RESULTS

IgG for OV were positive in 162 cases, and the prevalence was 73.3% (95% CI=68.0-78.7). About three quarters (78.3%) had large duct type tumors and concomitant intraductal papillary neoplasm of bile ducts (IPNB) occurred in 92 (50%) cases. HER2 expression was positive in 94 (61.4%) cases. Positive PD-L1 and FGFR2 expression occurred in 125 (83.9%) and 100 (67.1%) cases. IgG for OV had no significant correlation to any histological feature but had significant correlation with HER2 overexpression with adjusted OR=2.32 (95% CI=1.09-4.96, P=0.03). Cases of CCA with OV IgG positive had a significantly poor prognosis with adjusted HR=1.66 (95% CI=1.13-2.43, P=0.01).

CONCLUSION

We found a high prevalence of serum IgG for OV-positive CCA patients and a correlation with overexpression of HER2. Moreover, IgG for OV and HER2 expression indicated poor survival of CCA. Therefore, future clinical studies for anti-HER2 treatments should focus on OV-associated CCA.

Phase 2 study of lenvatinib monotherapy as second-line treatment in unresectable biliary tract cancer: primary analysis results

BACKGROUND

Biliary tract cancer (BTC) has a poor prognosis and lacks a standardized second-line therapy. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) 4, and platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) are highly expressed in BTC. Therefore, lenvatinib (a known inhibitor of VEGF receptors 1-3, FGFRs 1-4, and PDGFR-α) was evaluated for second-line treatment of BTC.

METHODS

In this single-arm, multicenter, open-label, phase 2 study, patients with BTC received lenvatinib 24 mg orally once daily in 28-day cycles. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), PFS rate at 12 weeks, disease control rate, clinical benefit rate, safety and pharmacokinetic profiles.

RESULTS

Twenty-six Japanese patients were enrolled and treated; 3 had a confirmed partial response per investigator assessment and per independent imaging review (IIR); ORR was 11.5% (90% confidence interval [CI]: 3.2-27.2). Median PFS was 3.19 months (95% CI: 2.79-7.23) per investigator assessment and 1.64 months (95% CI: 1.41-3.19) per IIR. Median OS was 7.35 months (95% CI: 4.50-11.27). Grade ≥ 3 treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) occurred in 21 patients (80.8%) and included hypertension (n = 10 [38.5%]), proteinuria (n = 3 [11.5%]), palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia (n = 3 [11.5%]), decreased appetite (n = 3 [11.5%]), and anemia (n = 3 [11.5%]). Two deaths occurred due to TEAEs between treatment initiation and 30 days after last dose, but neither were considered treatment related.

CONCLUSIONS

Lenvatinib demonstrated antitumor activity in BTC, with a tolerable safety profile, and should be further evaluated as potential second-line therapy for this difficult to treat population.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02579616 . Date of registration: October 19, 2015.

Molecular Features and Targeted Therapies in Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Promises and Failures

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) include a heterogenous group of aggressive malignancies with limited therapeutic options. According to their anatomical location, these hepatobiliary tumors are usually classified into intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (eCCA), and gallbladder cancer (GBC). Unfortunately, BTCs are often diagnosed when already metastatic, and although the advent of genomic sequencing has led to a deeper understanding of iCCA pathogenesis, very little data are currently available about the molecular landscape of eCCA. Moreover, despite novel systemic treatments emerging in BTC, the grim prognosis of eCCA patients has not changed in the past decade, and no targeted therapies have been approved so far. The aim of the current review is to provide an overview regarding molecular features and potential targeted therapies in eCCA, together with novel therapeutic approaches and future directions of translational and clinical research on this highly aggressive disease that poses many unanswered questions.

Latest evidence on immunotherapy for cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a type of aggressive tumor that involves the intrahepatic, perihilar and distal biliary tree, and is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage. The standard first-line systemic therapy for patients with advanced CCA is a combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin; targeted therapies and angiogenesis inhibitors are not widely used clinically at present. However, with the development of precision medicine, immunotherapy has started to play a more important role. Programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitors are now considered a good therapeutic option for CCA. Treatments using chimeric antigen receptor T cells, bispecific antibodies, oncolytic viruses and cancer vaccines have also achieved satisfactory results. In addition, combinations of immunotherapy with a variety of conventional therapies have shown some efficacy, and several studies have provided insights into their use in antitumor therapy. Although there are numerous challenges in the treatment of advanced CCA, immunotherapy remains a noteworthy breakthrough. The current evidence on the immunotherapy of CCA is discussed in the present review.

Multicenter Phase II Trial of Axitinib Monotherapy for Gemcitabine-Based Chemotherapy Refractory Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer (AX-BC Study)

LESSONS LEARNED

Axitinib exhibited marginal activity against gemcitabine-refractory unselected biliary tract cancer. Pretreated soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 may be a useful biomarker for axitinib treatment outcome. Ascites should be carefully monitored in patients receiving anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor therapy including axitinib in advanced biliary tract cancer.

BACKGROUND

There are no clear options for second-line treatment in patients with gemcitabine (GEM)-refractory biliary tract cancer (BTC). We conducted a multicenter, single-arm, phase II trial to confirm the efficacy and safety of axitinib, a potent selective inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-1/2/3, in patients with GEM-refractory BTC.

METHODS

Patients refractory or intolerant to GEM-based chemotherapy were enrolled. Axitinib was administered orally at an initial dose of 5 mg twice daily. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), and the threshold and expected values were set at 2 and 3 months, respectively. The target sample size was 32 patients.

RESULTS

Nineteen patients were enrolled. The trial was interrupted for a total of 13 months for the evaluation of adverse events. Thirteen patients were previously treated with ≥2 regimens. The median PFS was 2.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.1-4.1). The median overall survival was 5.8 months (95% CI: 3.3-9.7). The response rate was 5.3% (95% CI: 0.0-15.3). Grade 3 ascites occurred in two patients. Baseline soluble VEGFR-2 levels were significantly associated with PFS.

CONCLUSION

Axitinib exhibited marginal activity against GEM-refractory BTC. Ascites should be carefully monitored in axitinib-treated patients with advanced BTC.

Systemic treatment options for advanced biliary tract carcinoma

Advanced biliary tract cancers (BTC) include a diverse collection of rare and heterogenous tumors with poor prognosis. The combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin is the established first-line therapy for advanced BTC. There are no accepted standard treatments in the second line setting, though there are several ongoing clinical trials that implement chemotherapy as a therapeutic strategy. The understanding of the molecular landscape of BTC has offered hope of targeted therapies to the identified actionable genomic aberrations, such as FGFR2 gene fusions, mutations of IDH1/2, HER2, BRAC1/2 and BRAF. Pembigatinib has become the first approved targeted therapy for BTC with FGFR2 fusion or other rearrangements. Recent immunotherapy has opened new therapy avenues in BTC with pembrolizumab approved for either microsatellite instability high (MSI-H) or DNA mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) advanced solid tumors, including BTC. The combination of immunotherapy with other modalities is currently being evaluated in different clinical trials, since single agent immunotherapy appears to provide modest benefits in advanced BTC. In this review, we summarize the current status of treatment options, including systemic chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and various combinations in advanced BTC.

HER2 Overexpression as a Poor Prognostic Determinant in Resected Biliary Tract Cancer

BACKGROUND

HER2 overexpression has been investigated as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in biliary tract cancer (BTC), but a prognostic role of such alteration has not been demonstrated yet.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated HER2 protein expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 100 patients with radically resected BTC. HER2 gene amplification was assessed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in 2+ and 3+ cases at IHC. High HER2 protein expression was defined as either IHC 3+ or 2+ associated with FISH positivity. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the prognostic role of HER2 overexpression in terms of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints were the prevalence of HER2 overexpression and the possible correlation with other clinicopathological features.

RESULTS

HER2 overexpression was identified in 11 patients and was not related to other clinicopathological factors. DFS was significantly shorter in HER2-positive compared with HER2-negative patients (10.6 vs. 20.9 months, log-rank p = .017). HER2 confirmed its prognostic value for DFS at multivariate analysis (hazard ratio 2.512; 95% confidence interval, 1.232-5.125; p = .011) together with nodal stage (p < .001), resection margin (p = .027), and tumor site (p = .030). There was no difference in OS between HER2-positive and -negative patients (p = .068).

CONCLUSION

HER2 overexpression represents an independent prognostic factor for disease recurrence in patients with BTC treated with potentially curative surgery.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

HER2 overexpression may play an independent role in promoting an aggressive behavior in resectable biliary tract cancer. This evidence could be helpful in improving prognostic stratification after resection and, primarily, should endorse the rationale to investigate HER2 as a therapeutic target in biliary tract cancer.

Translating Biomarkers of Cholangiocarcinoma for Theranosis: A Systematic Review

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a rare disease with poor outcomes and limited research efforts into novel treatment options. A systematic review of CCA biomarkers was undertaken to identify promising biomarkers that may be used for theranosis (therapy and diagnosis). MEDLINE/EMBASE databases (1996-2019) were systematically searched using two strategies to identify biomarker studies of CCA. The PANTHER Go-Slim classification system and STRING network version 11.0 were used to interrogate the identified biomarkers. The TArget Selection Criteria for Theranosis (TASC-T) score was used to rank identified proteins as potential targetable biomarkers for theranosis. The following proteins scored the highest, CA9, CLDN18, TNC, MMP9, and EGFR, and they were evaluated in detail. None of these biomarkers had high sensitivity or specificity for CCA but have potential for theranosis. This review is unique in that it describes the process of selecting suitable markers for theranosis, which is also applicable to other diseases. This has highlighted existing validated markers of CCA that can be used for active tumor targeting for the future development of targeted theranostic delivery systems. It also emphasizes the relevance of bioinformatics in aiding the search for validated biomarkers that could be repurposed for theranosis.

Omics-Based Platforms: Current Status and Potential Use for Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) has been identified as a highly malignant cancer that can be transformed from epithelial cells of the bile duct, including intrahepatic, perihilar and extrahepatic. High-resolution imaging tools (abdominal ultrasound, computed tomography and percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage) are recruited for diagnosis. However, the lack of early diagnostic biomarkers and treatment evaluation can lead to serious outcomes and poor prognosis (i.e., CA19-9, MUC5AC). In recent years, scientists have established a large number of omics profiles to reveal underlying mechanisms and networks (i.e., IL-6/STAT3, NOTCH). With these results, we achieved several genomic alteration events (i.e., TP53_mut, KRAS_mut) and epigenetic modifications (i.e., DNA methylation, histone modification) in CCA cells and clinical patients. Moreover, we reviewed candidate gene (such as NF-kB, YAP1) that drive gene transcription factors and canonical pathways through transcriptomics profiles (including microarrays and next-generation sequencing). In addition, the proteomics database also indicates which molecules and their directly binding status could trigger dysfunction signatures in tumorigenesis (carbohydrate antigen 19-9, mucins). Most importantly, we collected metabolomics datasets and pivotal metabolites. These results reflect the pharmacotherapeutic options and evaluate pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics in vitro and in vivo. We reversed the panels and selected many potentially small compounds from the connectivity map and L1000CDS² system. In this paper, we summarize the prognostic value of each candidate gene and correlate this information with clinical events in CCA. This review can serve as a reference for further research to clearly investigate the complex characteristics of CCA, which may lead to better prognosis, drug repurposing and treatment strategies.

Chemoradiotherapy with extended nodal irradiation and/or erlotinib in locally advanced oesophageal squamous cell cancer: long-term update of a randomised phase 3 trial

Background

To report the long-term outcomes of a phase III trial designed to test two hypotheses: (1) elective nodal irradiation (ENI) is superior to conventional field irradiation (CFI), and (2) chemoradiotherapy plus erlotinib is superior to chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced oesophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC).

Methods

Patients with locally advanced ESCC were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1 ratio) to one of the four groups: A: radiotherapy adoption of ENI with two cycles of concurrent TP chemotherapy (paclitaxel and cisplatin) plus erlotinib; B: radiotherapy adoption of ENI with two cycles of concurrent TP; C: radiotherapy adoption of CFI with two cycles of concurrent TP plus erlotinib and D: radiotherapy adoption of CFI with two cycles of concurrent TP. A total of 60 Gy of radiation doses was delivered over 30 fractions. We explored the impact of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression on the efficacy of erlotinib plus chemoradiotherapy.

Results

A total of 352 patients (88 assigned to each treatment group) were enrolled. The 5-year survival rates were 44.9%, 34.8%, 33.8% and 19.6% in groups A, B, C and D, respectively (P = 0.013). ENI significantly improved OS compared with standard CFI (median, 38.5 vs 22.6 months; HR, 0.74; P = 0.018). The addition of erlotinib significantly improved OS (median, 39.4 vs 27.4 months; HR, 0.75; P = 0.025). Patients with overexpressing EGFR treated with erlotinib had a better OS and PFS than those without erlotinib.

Conclusions

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with ENI and/or erlotinib improved long-term survival in locally advanced ESCC.

Clinical trial registration

Trial registration: NCT00686114.