Clinical Trial after surgery

Hi Elena,

This is an interesting question.  I did not participate in a clinical trial after resection.  I did have chemo (gemcitabine/capecitabine) followed by radiation with capecitabine following the regimen of an earlier clinical trial that goes by the name SWOG S0809.

I looked at clinical trials.gov and did not see for the U.S. any recruiting trials offering post-resection (adjuvant) treatment for cholangiocarcinoma. I have seen references to adjuvant treatment trials currently active outside the U.S.  One disqualifying factor for recent resection patients for most trials is there needs to be measurable disease so researchers can assess the impact of the treatments they are testing, which would tend to exclude patients who have had a resection but have not recurred.

For resection patients who have recurred, trials would be an option, noting that some trials may want the patient to first try and then progress under a chemo regime before becoming eligible.

Following the positive results of the BILCAP clinical trial in the U.K., doctors may offer six months’ adjuvant treatment with capecitabine after resection.  If you internet-search “BILCAP,” you can find press releases on the study results.  In some high risk cases, chemo followed by chemo radiation similar to SWOG S0809 may be recommended following resection.  By high risk is typically meant positive resection margins, lymph node involvement, and possibly vascular invasion and/or poor differentiation, as discovered through the surgery.

I hope readers will chime in regarding trial participation after resection.

Regards, Mary