Cisplatin plus Gemcitabine versus Gemcitabine for Biliary Tract Cancer

In this randomized trial comparing cisplatin plus gemcitabine with gemcitabine alone for the treatment of biliary tract cancer, overall survival and progression-free survival were improved with the use of cisplatin plus gemcitabine. Adverse events were similar in the two groups. In this trial comparing cisplatin plus gemcitabine with gemcitabine alone for the treatment of biliary tract cancer, overall survival and progression-free survival were improved with the use of cisplatin plus gemcitabine. Biliary tract cancer is an uncommon cancer in developed countries. There are approximately 1200 new cases in the United Kingdom 1 and 9000 new cases in the United States per year, although the incidence is increasing, perhaps related to gallstone disease. 2 Most patients have advanced disease at presentation and relapse despite surgery. 3 Although advanced biliary tract cancer can have a response to chemotherapy, there is no recognized standard palliative regimen because no single randomized study has ever been sufficiently robust to define a schedule; fluoropyrimidines, 4 , 5 cisplatin, 6 and gemcitabine 7 , 8 have shown activity. Gemcitabine (Gemzar, Eli Lilly) treatment for biliary tract . . .