Capecitabine in pretreated metastatic cholangiocarcinoma. A case report and review of the literature
Koutras, A.K.; Talampuka, G.; Pagoni, N.; Thomopoulos, K.C.; Kalliolias, G.; Kalogeropoulou, C.; Kalofonos, H.P.
Journal of BUON Official Journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology 12(2): 281-283
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 1107-0625 PMID: 17600885 Document Number: 606235
Cholangiocarcinoma is one of the most aggressive malignancies. Patients with advanced or metastatic disease have a particularly dismal prognosis. The role of chemotherapy remains a matter of debate. A number of recent trials have shown that capecitabine in combination with other agents seems to be active as first-line treatment in advanced biliary cancer. Clinical data regarding the activity of capecitabine in pretreated patients are limited. In this report we describe a patient with previously treated, metastatic cholangiocarcinoma who developed stabilization of the disease for 7 months following chemotherapy with capecitabine. The patient had previously received 2 lines of chemotherapy. Capecitabine was tolerated fairly well without serious adverse events. We consider this observation to be important given the absence of active, non-surgical treatments in unresectable tumors.