International Registry on Cholangiocarcinoma Treatment

Overview[ - collapse ][ - ]

Purpose Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare and very aggressive neoplasm that arises from the biliary epithelium, constitutes approximately 2% of all reported cancer, and accounts for about 3% of all gastrointestinal malignancies. Up to date, there are many modalities to diagnosis and treat with a range of sensitivity and specificity, and also the advantage and disadvantage of its modality. As physicians, we should be able to assess and choose promptly which modality is best for our patient, even for palliative care. Treatment modalities are surgery and non-surgery like adjuvant chemotherapy, radiation, chemoradiation, radiotherapy, TACE, intra-arterial chemoinfusion, photodynamic therapy, liver transplantation, and palliative therapy. The choice of treatment varies individually. Cholangiocarcinoma has a poor prognosis. Surgical resection offers the only curative option and usually requires a major hepatic resection in addition to resection of the cholangiocarcinoma. Unfortunately, curative resection is possible in only about 30% of patients due to locally advanced disease, distant metastases or comorbidity in elderly patients. Even after resection, the recurrence rate is approximately 60%, resulting in a low 5-year overall survival (OS). Patients with intra-hepatic Cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) have a very limited benefit from systemic chemotherapy, indeed, in unresectable cholangiocarcinoma Overall Survival with systemic chemotherapy is less than 1 year. Since most cholangiocarcinoma patients develop distant metastases at late stages only, locoregional therapy is an interesting therapeutic strategy. Locoregional therapy studies in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma employing radiofrequency ablation (RFA), transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or external as well as internal radiation therapy yielded promising results in the last couple of years. Locoregional therapies have been shown to be effective in patients with ICC. Trans arterial chemoembolization (TACE),for example, is safe in patients with normal liver function, and results in a prolongation of progression free survival (PFS) and OS. Local tumour control may prolong OS and can be achieved by locoregional interventions applied either sequentially or in combination with systemic chemotherapies. TACE is also used as postoperative adjuvant therapy for cholangiocarcinoma, resulting in prolonged survival in patients with tumour size ≥ 5 cm or advanced primary tumor, regional nodes, metastasis (TNM) stage. TACE offers also greater survival benefits than supportive treatment for the palliative treatment of unresectable ICC. TACE is safe and may be effective for prolonging the survival of patients with nonresectable combined hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) -cholangiocarcinoma, as compared with the historically reported survivals of these patients. Tumor vascularity is highly associated with tumor response. The patient survival period after TACE for combined HCC-cholangiocarcinoma is significantly dependent on tumor size, tumor vascularity, Child-Pugh class, and presence or absence of portal vein invasion. Currently, few centers perform TACE therapy for unresectable Cholangiocarcinoma. Several European studies have reported the efficacy and safety TACE for ICC. The establishment of a registry to obtain the majority of Cholangiocarcinoma cases treated with locoregional approach within and outside Europe can help the investigators evaluate a larger and non-ambiguous sample population. This would help the investigators evaluate the technical success rates, clinical success rates, feasibility and safety of TACE for ICC. All hospitals of IGEVO operating on patients with cholangiocarcinoma are eligible to take part in the Registry.
ConditionCholangiocarcinoma
InterventionDrug: Doxorubicin
PhaseN/A
SponsorInternational Group of Endovascular Oncology
Responsible PartyInternational Group of Endovascular Oncology
ClinicalTrials.gov IdentifierNCT01920503
First ReceivedAugust 7, 2013
Last UpdatedAugust 10, 2013
Last verifiedAugust 2013

Tracking Information[ + expand ][ + ]

First Received DateAugust 7, 2013
Last Updated DateAugust 10, 2013
Start DateJuly 2013
Estimated Primary Completion DateAugust 2014
Current Primary Outcome Measures
  • tumor response [Time Frame: 12 months] [Designated as safety issue: No]
  • overall survival [Time Frame: 12 months] [Designated as safety issue: No]
Current Secondary Outcome Measures
  • number adverse events [Time Frame: 4 months] [Designated as safety issue: Yes]
  • quality of life [Time Frame: 4 months] [Designated as safety issue: No]

Descriptive Information[ + expand ][ + ]

Brief TitleInternational Registry on Cholangiocarcinoma Treatment
Official TitleInternational Registry on Cholangiocarcinoma Treatment
Brief Summary
Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare and very aggressive neoplasm that arises from the biliary
epithelium, constitutes approximately 2% of all reported cancer, and accounts for about 3%
of all gastrointestinal malignancies. Up to date, there are many modalities to diagnosis and
treat with a range of sensitivity and specificity, and also the advantage and disadvantage
of its modality. As physicians, we should be able to assess and choose promptly which
modality is best for our patient, even for palliative care. Treatment modalities are surgery
and non-surgery like adjuvant chemotherapy, radiation, chemoradiation, radiotherapy, TACE,
intra-arterial chemoinfusion, photodynamic therapy, liver transplantation, and palliative
therapy. The choice of treatment varies individually.

Cholangiocarcinoma has a poor prognosis. Surgical resection offers the only curative option
and usually requires a major hepatic resection in addition to resection of the
cholangiocarcinoma. Unfortunately, curative resection is possible in only about 30% of
patients due to locally advanced disease, distant metastases or comorbidity in elderly
patients. Even after resection, the recurrence rate is approximately 60%, resulting in a low
5-year overall survival (OS).

Patients with intra-hepatic Cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) have a very limited benefit from
systemic chemotherapy, indeed, in unresectable cholangiocarcinoma Overall Survival with
systemic chemotherapy is less than 1 year. Since most cholangiocarcinoma patients develop
distant metastases at late stages only, locoregional therapy is an interesting therapeutic
strategy.

Locoregional therapy studies in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma employing
radiofrequency ablation (RFA), transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or external as well as
internal radiation therapy yielded promising results in the last couple of years.

Locoregional therapies have been shown to be effective in patients with ICC. Trans arterial
chemoembolization (TACE),for example, is safe in patients with normal liver function, and
results in a prolongation of progression free survival (PFS) and OS. Local tumour control
may prolong OS and can be achieved by locoregional interventions applied either sequentially
or in combination with systemic chemotherapies.

TACE is also used as postoperative adjuvant therapy for cholangiocarcinoma, resulting in
prolonged survival in patients with tumour size ≥ 5 cm or advanced primary tumor, regional
nodes, metastasis (TNM) stage.

TACE offers also greater survival benefits than supportive treatment for the palliative
treatment of unresectable ICC.

TACE is safe and may be effective for prolonging the survival of patients with nonresectable
combined hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) -cholangiocarcinoma, as compared with the
historically reported survivals of these patients. Tumor vascularity is highly associated
with tumor response. The patient survival period after TACE for combined
HCC-cholangiocarcinoma is significantly dependent on tumor size, tumor vascularity,
Child-Pugh class, and presence or absence of portal vein invasion.

Currently, few centers perform TACE therapy for unresectable Cholangiocarcinoma. Several
European studies have reported the efficacy and safety TACE for ICC.

The establishment of a registry to obtain the majority of Cholangiocarcinoma cases treated
with locoregional approach within and outside Europe can help the investigators evaluate a
larger and non-ambiguous sample population. This would help the investigators evaluate the
technical success rates, clinical success rates, feasibility and safety of TACE for ICC.

All hospitals of IGEVO operating on patients with cholangiocarcinoma are eligible to take
part in the Registry.
Detailed Description
Study Design: Prospective observational study

Primary objective: This is a data collection study where the main purpose is to collect
information about the treatments that patients receive for their unresectable
cholangiocarcinoma.

Secondary objectives: To create an international Registry including patients undergoing
locoregional treatments, to correlate tumour characteristics with outcome, survival and
prognosis; to identify criteria for guiding therapy including TACE, chemoinfusion and other
locoregional treatments

Treatment modalities for TACE

Day -1 Doxorubicina 50-75 mg/mq has been charged onto 2 ml of 70-150 µm M1 microspheres at
Pharmacy.

Day -1 : prehydration, antibiotic prophylaxis and setting up of a therapeutic scheme
appropriate for analgesic prophylaxis (3-day duration) as previously reported 1 vial of
tropisetron (diluted in 100ml of physiological solution) administered by slow drip Day 0:
Upon admittance to the radiology room, the patient receive morphine hydrochloride 10 mgr
diluted in 100 ml of salin solution i.v. (to be repeated one hour after the procedure and if
necessary also after 6 hours).

Tropisetron i.v. if needed. Intra-arterial premedication with 2.5 mgr of verapamil 2.5 mgr
diluted in 4 ml of normal saline solution followed by 4 ml of lidocaine 2%.

Selected arterial Infusion (considering tumor uptake and dominant disease) of doxorubicina
50-75 mg preloaded into 2 ml of 70-150 µm M1 microspheres.

Second infusion of doxorubicin at the same dose into 2 ml of 70-150 µm M1 microspheres can
be administered in a further TACE (oncologist's planning of cure).

Day +30: The above procedure is repeated. Day +90: In case of response, a third
administration following the above procedures will be repeated

Evaluation of response

Response must be assessed by repeating the following examinations at Day 30, Day 90 and Day
120 after start of treatment:

Chest-abdomen CAT scan with and without contrast medium (refer to Section 4). Evaluation
will be based on the Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) cancer markers
(CEA), Cancer Antigen (CA) 19.9)

Assessment of quality of life The Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) is used to
monitor health conditions and quality of life.

The questionnaire must be filled in by the patient unaided by family members or by health
care personnel, over a period of about 15 minutes. Assessment of quality of life will be
performed during the baseline visit and at Day 30, Day 60 and Day 120 from start of
treatment.
Study TypeObservational [Patient Registry]
Study PhaseN/A
Study DesignObservational Model: Cohort, Time Perspective: Prospective
ConditionCholangiocarcinoma
InterventionDrug: Doxorubicin
Study Arm (s)doxorubicin
Day +1:
Lobar Infusion ( lobe with dominant disease) of Doxorubicin preloaded into 2 ml of 70-150 µm M1 microspheres.
Second lobar infusion of Doxorubicin preloaded into 2 ml of 70-150 µm M1 microspheres can be administered at the same time contralaterally or in a further TACE Day +30: The above procedure is repeated. Day +90: In case of response, a third administration following the above procedures will be repeated

Recruitment Information[ + expand ][ + ]

Recruitment StatusRecruiting
Estimated Enrollment40
Estimated Completion DateAugust 2014
Estimated Primary Completion DateJuly 2014
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

1. The diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma will be established preoperatively by at least
one of the following criteria: a) positive brush cytology or biopsy result obtained
at the time of cholangiography; b) Fluorescence in situ hybridization demonstrating
aneuploidy; c) serum CA 19-9 value greater than 100 U/mL in the presence of a
radiographically characteristic malignant stricture in the absence of cholangitis.

2. Tumor is above the cystic duct and is unresectable.

3. Patient is a suitable candidate for the study by a radiation oncologist, a medical
oncologist, and the liver surgeon

4. Maximum Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 2 and a minimum
daily caloric intake of 1200kcal.

5. No evidence of metastatic disease.

6. Between ages 18 - 75.

7. Patient must provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients with intrahepatic metastasis presenting liver involvement more than 75%

2. Patients with uncontrolled infections (sepsis)

3. Evidence of extrahepatic disease, including local lymph node metastasis (except
peri-hilar nodes).

4. History of another malignancy diagnosed within 5 years, excluding "in situ" skin and
cervical cancers, without metastases.
GenderBoth
Ages18 Years
Accepts Healthy VolunteersNo
ContactsNot Provided
Location CountriesItaly

Administrative Information[ + expand ][ + ]

NCT Number NCT01920503
Other Study ID NumbersCHOLANGIO01
Has Data Monitoring CommitteeYes
Information Provided ByInternational Group of Endovascular Oncology
Study SponsorInternational Group of Endovascular Oncology
CollaboratorsNot Provided
Investigators Not Provided
Verification DateAugust 2013

Locations[ + expand ][ + ]

Azienda Ospedaliera Ospedali Riuniti Marche Nord, Presidio Ospedaliero San Salvatore
Pesaro, Italy, 61122
Contact: Giammaria Fiorentini, MD | +390721364124 | giammaria.fiorentini@ospedalimarchenord.it
Principal Investigator: Giammaria Fiorentini, MD
Recruiting