Cholangiocarcinoma medical therapy

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1];Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Farima Kahe M.D. [2], Suveenkrishna Pothuru, M.B,B.S. [3]

Overview[edit | edit source]

Chemotherapy is indicated for unresectable cholangiocarcinoma as palliative chemotherapy. Chemotherapy agents used to treat cholangiocarcinoma include 5-fluorouracil, gemcitabine, irinotecan, cisplatin, or doxorubicin.

Medical Therapy[edit | edit source]

The majority of cases of cholangiocarcinoma present as unresectable disease.^[1] If the tumor cannot be surgically removed, patients are often treated with palliative chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy.

Chemotherapy[edit | edit source]

• 1.Chemotherapy
  • Preferred regimen (1): 5-fluorouracil 600 mg/m2 with leucovorin 400 mg/m2 over 2 hours once every 2 weeks ^[2]
  • Alternative regimen (2): Gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 plus cisplatin ^[3]
  • Alternative regimen (3): Irinotecan 125 mg/m2 q14 days
  • Alternative regimen (4): Oxaliplatin 400 mg/m2 ^[4]
  • Alternative regimen (5): Doxorubicin 60-75 mg/m2 q21 days ^[5]
  • Alternative regimen (6): Capecitabine 650 mg/m2 q21 days for 2 weeks
  • Alternative regimen (7): Erlotinib PO 100 mg/day

Regional therapies[edit | edit source]

• Regional therapies is recommended among patients with small cholangiocarcinomas, when the general health condition of the patient does not allow a more aggressive treatment:^[6][7]
  • Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE)
  • Radioembolization

Photodynamic Therapy[edit | edit source]

• Photodynamic therapy
  • Injected with a light-sensitizing agent and light is then applied endoscopically directly to the tumor ^[8][9]

References[edit | edit source]

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