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Review
. 2025 Feb 19:50:101170.
doi: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2024.101170. eCollection 2025 Mar.

New systemic treatment paradigms in advanced biliary tract cancer and variations in patient access across Europe

Affiliations
Review

New systemic treatment paradigms in advanced biliary tract cancer and variations in patient access across Europe

Lorenza Rimassa et al. Lancet Reg Health Eur. .

Erratum in

Abstract

In recent years, treatment options for patients with advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC) have increased significantly due to the positive results from phase 2/3 clinical trials of immune checkpoint inhibitors, combined with chemotherapy, and molecularly targeted agents. These advances have led to the need for molecular testing to identify actionable alterations and patients amenable to targeted therapies. However, these improvements have brought with them many questions and challenges, including the identification of resistance mechanisms and therapeutic sequences. In this Series paper we aim to provide an overview of the current systemic treatment options for patients with BTC, highlighting disparities in access to innovative treatments and molecular testing across European countries, which lead to inequalities in the possibilities of treating patients with advanced BTC. We also discuss how ongoing European collaborative projects, such as the COST Action Precision-BTC-Network CA22125, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology), linked to the European Network for the Study of Cholangiocarcinoma (ENSCCA), can help overcome these disparities and improve the current scenario.

Keywords: Access to NGS; Access to therapy; Biliary tract cancer; Cholangiocarcinoma; Gallbladder cancer; Immunotherapy; Molecularly targeted therapy; NGS.

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Conflict of interest statement

L.R. reports grant/research funding (to institution) from AbbVie, Agios, AstraZeneca, BeiGene, Eisai, Exelixis, Fibrogen, Incyte, IPSEN, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Lilly, MSD, Nerviano Medical Sciences, Roche, Servier, Taiho Oncology, TransThera Sciences, and Zymeworks; consulting fees from AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Basilea, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eisai, Elevar Therapeutics, Exelixis, Genenta, Hengrui, Incyte, IPSEN, IQVIA, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, MSD, Nerviano Medical Sciences, Roche, Servier, Taiho Oncology, and Zymeworks; lecture fees from AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Guerbet, Incyte, IPSEN, Roche, and Servier; and travel expenses from AstraZeneca. She is chair for the EORTC CITCG HBP/NET Task Force, treasurer for the International Liver Cancer Association, and Special Expert Clinical Trials Europe for NCI GISC Hepatobiliary (HB) Task Force (unpaid positions). A.L. declares travel and educational support from Ipsen, Pfizer, Bayer, AAA, SirtEx, Novartis, Mylan, Delcath Advanz Pharma, and Roche; speaker honoraria from Merck, Pfizer, Ipsen, Incyte, AAA/Novartis, QED, Servier, AstraZeneca, EISAI, Roche, Advanz Pharma, and MSD; advisory and consultancy honoraria from EISAI, Nutricia, Ipsen, QED, Roche, Servier, Boston Scientific, Albireo Pharma, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, GENFIT, TransThera Biosciences, Taiho, and MSD; principal investigator-associated institutional Funding form QED, Merck, Boehringer Ingelheim, Servier, AstraZeneca, GenFit, Panbela Therapeutics, Novocure GmbH, Camurus AB, Albireo Pharma, Taiho, TransThera, Jazz Therapeutics, and Roche; she is a member of the Knowledge Network and NETConnect Initiatives funded by Ipsen. G.O.K. declares travel support from MSD, Roche, and Takeda; consulting honoraria from Roche, AstraZeneca, Incyte, Servier; institutional grant support from Roche, AstraZeneca; lecture fees from MSD and Roche. J.E. receives grants from BMS, Beigene, Boston Scientific, Exeliom biosciences, SUMMIT; consulting fees from MSD, Eisai, BMS, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Roche, Ipsen, Basilea, Merck Serono, Incyte, Servier, Beigene, Taiho, Boston Scientific, Guerbet. M.M.N. received research grant support to institution from AstraZeneca, Servier, and NuCana; travel and accommodation support from Ipsen, and speaker honoraria from AstraZeneca. A.V. has consultancy and advisory role for Roche, AstraZeneca, Böhringer-Ingelheim, Ipsen, Incyte, Cogent, EISAI, Zymeworks, Biologix, BMS, Terumo, Elevar, Servier, MSD, Taiho, Jazzpharma, Medivir, Abbvie, Tyra, Falk, Janssen, Lilly; received travel support from Roche, MSD, and Astellas; speaker fees from Roche, AstraZeneca, Böhringer-Ingelheim, Ipsen, Incyte, Cogent, EISAI, Zymeworks, Biologix, BMS, Terumo, Elevar, Servier, MSD, Tahio, Jazzpharma, Medivir, Abbvie, Tyra, Falk, Janssen, Lilly. MF reports grant/research funding (to institution) from Astellas, Roche and Diaceutics; consulting fees from Amgen, Astellas, AstraZeneca, BMS, Diapath, Eli Lilly, Sanofi, GSK, Incyte, IQVIA, Janssen Pharma, MSD, Novartis, Pierre Fabre, Roche, lecture fees from Amgen, Astellas, AstraZeneca, BMS, Diapath, Eli Lilly, GSK, Incyte, IQVIA, Janssen Pharma, Sanofi, MSD, Novartis, Pierre Fabre, Roche. AF declares travel support from AstraZeneca, consulting fees from Taiho, Incyte, and AstraZeneca, and honoraria as speaker from AstraZeneca; he is Scientific Vice-Secretary AEEH. T.J.K. received consulting fees from Resolution Therapeutics, Clinnovate Health, HistoIndex, Fibrofind, Kynos Therapeutics, Perspectum Diagnostics, Concept Life Sciences; speaker fees from Servier Laboratories, Incyte Corporation, Jazz Pharmaceuticals; he is a committee member of the Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland, the British Association for the Study of the Liver, Cholangiocarcinoma-UK, UK Liver Pathology Group. A.C.G. received consulting fees from AstraZeneca, Bayer, BMS, Eisai, Incyte, Ipsen, IQVIA, MSD, Roche, Servier; lecture fees from AstraZeneca, Bayer, BMS, Eisai, Incyte, Ipsen, Roche, Servier; travel expenses from AstraZeneca and MSD; advisory fees from AstraZeneca, Bayer, BMS, Eisai, Incyte, Ipsen, Roche, Servier; equipment from AstraZeneca. E.M. reports lecture fees (to the Georgian School of Oncology) from Novartis, Servier, Roche, AstraZeneca; grants from ESMO; travel expenses from ESMO and ESO; she is the director of the Georgian School of Oncology and of the Georgian Society of Geriatric oncology and she is a member of several ESMO committees. L.F. reports grant/research funding (to institution) from MSD, Bristol Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, Incyte, BeiGene, Astellas, Daiichi Sankyo, and Roche; consulting fees from MSD, AstraZeneca, Incyte, Taiho Oncology, Servier, Daiichi Sankyo, EliLilly, and BeiGene; lecture fees from Incyte, Bristol Myers Squibb, EliLilly, AstraZeneca, and MSD; travel expenses from Amgen. A.H. reports consulting fees from Amgen, Sanofi, BMS, Basilea, Incyte, Servier, Relay Therapeutics, Taiho, MSD; lecture fees from Servier, Incyte, Seagen; support for attending meetings from Pierre-Fabre; advisory board fees from Basilea, QED therapeutics, Taiho, Relay Therapeutics, MSD. M.L. reports research funding to institution from MSD, Exelixis, Amgen, Zymeworks, Basilea, Daiichi Sankyo, Legend Biotech, Genuity Science, consulting role with funding to institution only from AstraZeneca, Astellas pharma, Servier, Roche/Genentech. T.M. reports consulting or advisory role fees from Ability Pharmaceuticals SL, Arcus Bioscience Inc., AstraZeneca, Basilea Pharma, Baxter, BioLineRX Ltd, Celgene, Eisai, Incyte, Ipsen Bioscience Inc.; grant research funding from MSD, Novocure, QED Therapeutics, Roche Farma, Sanofi-Aventis, Servier, Zymeworks; lecture fees from Janssen, Lilly, Esteve, Daïchi, Biontech, Novartis, Jazz Pharmaceuticals; travel support from Servier, AstraZeneca, Sanofi, Incyte, Lilly, MSD, and Roche. D.M. reports consulting fees from AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bionest Partners, BMS, Incyte, Merck Serono, MSD, Pierre Fabre Oncologie, Roche, Sanofi, Simon-Kutcher & Partners, Servier, Taiho; lecture fees from Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, BMS, Foundation Medicine, Incyte, Leo Pharma, Medscape, Merck Serono, MSD, Pierre Fabre Oncologie, Roche, Sanofi, Servier, Veracyte, Viatris; travel expenses from Amgen, Bayer, BMS, Merck Serono, MSD, Pierre Fabre Oncologie, Roche, Sanofi, Servier, Viatris. M.N. received grant funding to the GONO foundation from Rising Tide Foundation For Clinical Cancer Research; travel expenses from AstraZeneca; honoraria for lectures or editorial collaboration from Sandoz, Medpoint SRL, Incyte, AstraZeneca, Accademia della Medicina, and Servier; consulting fees from EMD Serono, Basilea Pharmaceutica, Incyte, MSD Italia, Servier, and AstraZeneca; advisory fees from Servier, AstraZeneca, and Taiho. A.U. received travel support from AstraZeneca. R.I.R.M. reports institutional funds from AstraZeneca, Incyte, Servier, Taiho and Jazz Pharmaceuticals. C.B. received honoraria as speaker from AstraZeneca, Incyte, and Servier; honoraria as consultant from Incyte, Servier, Boehringer Ingelheim, AstraZeneca, Jazz Pharmaceutical, Taiho, Molecular Partners, received research funds from Avacta, Medannex, Servier, and her spouse is an employee of AstraZeneca. All the other authors have no competing interests to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Results of the survey on clinical practice in biliary tract cancer in Europe. Panel a provides information regarding the survey's participants (n = 47 physicians). If more than one physician from a specific country answered to the survey, the exact number of participants from that country is reported on the map. Answers regarding access to systemic and locoregional therapies are reported in panels b, c, d, and f; answers regarding access to genomic profiling are reported in panel e. Panel g provides information regarding access to supportive care. All answers provided in panels b, c, d, e, f, and g are divided by institution (n = 36). Abbreviations: 5-FU, 5-fluorouracil; BTC, biliary tract cancer; ESMO, European Society of Medical Oncology; FA, folinic acid; FISH, fluorescence in situ hybridisation; FOLFIRI, folinic acid + 5-FU + irinotecan; FOLFOX, folinic acid + 5-FU + oxaliplatin; ICIs, immune checkpoint inhibitors; IHC, immunohistochemistry; NGS, next-generation sequencing; pSACT, palliative systemic anticancer treatment; RFA, radiofrequency ablation; SBRT, stereotactic body radiation therapy; TACE, transarterial chemoembolisation; TARE, transarterial radioembolisation. Created with Adobe Illustrator.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Timeline of approvals of durvalumab (a) and pembrolizumab (b) in combination with chemotherapy, pemigatinib (c), futibatinib (d), and ivosidenib (e) for the treatment of biliary tract cancer in Europe.1From March 21st, 2022 until February 18th, 2024, durvalumab in association with chemotherapy was available in Italy via a named-patient programme provided by AstraZeneca Italy. 2From October 2022 until July 31st, 2024 durvalumab in association with chemotherapy was available in France via a publicly funded early access programme in the ITT population. 3In France publicly funded early access to pembrolizumab in association with chemotherapy was denied on March 21st, 2023.4 In 2020 and 2021 pemigatinib was available in France via publicly funded early access (ATU). Abbreviations: ATU, temporary use authorisation; CisGem, cisplatin and gemcitabine; EMA, European Medicines Agency; ITT, intention-to-treat; KVV, Verordnung über die Krankenversicherung (Ordinance on Health Insurance); UK, United Kingdom. Created with Adobe illustrator.

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