Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy for Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer: Adding New Flavors to the Pizza
Marcello Moro Queiroz1, Nildevande Firmino Lima1, Tiago Biachi de Castria2,3
1Oncology Center, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, 115 Dona Adma Jafet Street, São Paulo 01308-050, SP, Brazil.
Abstract:
Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are a rare pathology and can be divided into four major subgroups: intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, hilar cholangiocarcinoma, and gallbladder cancer. In the era of precision oncology, the development of next-generation sequencing (NGS) allowed a better understanding of molecular differences between these subgroups. Thus, the development of drugs that can target these alterations and inhibit the abnormal pathway activation has changed the prognosis of BTC patients. Additionally, the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors and a better understanding of tumor immunogenicity led to the development of clinical trials with immunotherapy for this scenario. The development of biomarkers that can predict how the immune system acts against the tumor cells, and which patients benefit from this activation, are urgently needed. Here, we review the most recent data regarding targeted treatment and immunotherapy in the scenario of BTC treatment, while also discussing the future perspectives for this challenging disease.
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