BILCAP results show chemo improves survival
AMMF welcomes the encouraging results announced today by Cancer Research UK following the BILCAP trial into the use of the chemotherapy drug Capecitabine (Xeloda) for bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma) patients following surgery.
The three year survival improved by almost a quarter (23 per cent) in patients who were given Capecitabine, and the average survival was increased to 53 months from 36 months compared to those who only had surgery.
AMMF is also pleased to hear that researchers involved in the BILCAP trial are now calling for Capecitabine to be given to all patients following surgery for bile duct cancer.
When bile duct cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, the best treatment is surgery to remove it. However, sometimes the cancer will return after surgery. Chemotherapy after surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy) can help stop some types of cancer from coming back. Capecitabine is therefore an important medical treatment for bile duct cancer patients, a disease which greatly shortens life expectancies, has significant morbidities and few treatment options.
In recent years, there has been an enormous and extremely worrying worldwide increase in bile duct cancer’s (cholangiocarcinoma’s) incidence and latest figures show there were 2,161 deaths caused by cholangiocarcinoma in 2013 in England alone (NCIN/Cancer52 report).
For further information about AMMF and bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma), or to find out about how to support the charity, please visit www.ammf.org.uk. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
To read the Cancer Research UK’s report, “Drug improves survival of patients with rare cancer by almost a quarter”, click here
To read the statement from ASCO, (the American Society of Clinical Oncology) click here
May 2017