Open AccessImmunotherapy for Biliary Tract Cancer in the Era of Precision Medicine: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives
Author(s) -
Davide Ciardiello,
Brigida Anna Maiorano,
Paola Parente,
Maria Grazia Rodriquenz,
Tiziana Pia Latiano,
Cinzia Chiarazzo,
Valerio Pazienza,
Luigi Pio Guerrera,
Brunella Amoruso,
Nicola Normanno,
Giulia Martini,
Fortunato Ciardiello,
Erika Martinelli,
Evaristo Maiello
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
international journal of molecular sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.455
H-Index - 162
eISSN - 1661-6596
pISSN - 1422-0067
DOI - 10.3390/ijms23020820
Subject(s) - medicine , biliary tract cancer , immunotherapy , clinical trial , precision medicine , disease , intensive care medicine , cancer , population , oncology , pathology , gemcitabine , environmental health
Biliary tract cancers (BTC) represent a heterogeneous and aggressive group of tumors with dismal prognosis. For a long time, BTC has been considered an orphan disease with very limited therapeutic options. In recent years a better understanding of the complex molecular landscape of biology is rapidly changing the therapeutic armamentarium. However, while 40–50% of patients there are molecular drivers susceptible to target therapy, for the remaining population new therapeutic options represent an unsatisfied clinical need. The role of immunotherapy in the continuum of treatment of patients with BTC is still debated. Despite initial signs of antitumor-activity, single-agent immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) demonstrated limited efficacy in an unselected population. Therefore, identifying the best partner to combine ICIs and predictive biomarkers represents a key challenge to optimize the efficacy of immunotherapy. This review provides a critical analysis of completed trials, with an eye on future perspectives and possible biomarkers of response.