Association Between Cumulative Chemotherapy Exposure and Survival Outcomes in Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer

Area of Science:

• Medical Oncology
• Clinical Research
• Cancer Survival Analysis

Background:

• Advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC) presents significant treatment challenges.
• Understanding factors influencing treatment duration and survival is crucial for optimizing patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between cumulative chemotherapy dose and overall survival (OS) in advanced BTC.
• To identify baseline characteristics predictive of prolonged chemotherapy treatment.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of advanced BTC patients receiving systemic chemotherapy.
• Stratification based on cumulative chemotherapy cycles (<8 vs. ≥8).
• Kaplan-Meier, Cox proportional hazards, and logistic regression analyses were employed.

Main Results:

• Patients receiving ≥8 cycles showed better inflammatory/nutritional profiles and less metastatic disease.
• Median OS was significantly longer for patients receiving ≥8 cycles (19.3 months) versus <8 cycles (6.5 months).
• Metastatic disease was associated with lower likelihood of receiving ≥8 cycles (OR 0.34); ≥8 cycles independently predicted longer OS (HR 0.46).

Conclusions:

• Increased cumulative chemotherapy exposure correlates with prolonged OS in advanced BTC.
• Survival benefits appear to plateau after approximately 8 cycles.
• Sustained treatment likely reflects preserved physiological reserve and treatment tolerance.