Gallbladder Cancer

The iCaRe2 is a multi-institutional resource created and maintained by the Fred \& Pamela Buffett Cancer Center to collect and manage standardized, multi-dimensional, longitudinal data and biospecimens on consented adult cancer patients, high-risk individuals, and normal controls. The distinct characteristic of the iCaRe2 is its geographical coverage, with a significant percentage of small and rural hospitals and cancer centers. The iCaRe2 advances comprehensive studies of risk factors of cancer development and progression and enables the design of novel strategies for prevention, screening, early detection and personalized treatment of cancer. Centers with expertise in cancer epidemiology, genetics, biology, early detection, and patient care can collaborate by using the iCaRe2 as a platform for cohort and population studies.

BTC-Ag-T (ACH-AgT001) is an autologous experimental T-cell therapy designed for advanced biliary tract cancer. This is an open-label, single-arm Phase 1 study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of BTC-Ag-T in patients with advanced, unresectable, or metastatic biliary tract cancer who have failed standard-of-care therapy.

Patients with digestive tract malignancy often experience severe and unremitting abdominal pain that negatively affects physical, emotional, and social function, as well as health related quality of life (HRQOL). Therapeutic virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising and evidence-based treatment modality for cancer pain. Users of VR wear a pair of goggles with a close-proximity screen in front of the eyes that creates a sensation of being transported into lifelike, three-dimensional worlds. To date, VR has been limited to short-term clinical trials for cancer pain. Moreover, limited research exists on theory-based VR modalities beyond mere distraction, such as VR that employs acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) with components of biofeedback and mindfulness. To bridge these gaps, this study seeks to: (1) assess the impact of immersive VR on patient-reported outcomes (PROs), including pain, activity metrics, and opioid use among patients with visceral pain from a digestive tract malignancy; (2) assess differences in PROs, activity metrics, and opioid use between skills-based VR therapy vs. distraction VR therapy; and (3) determine patient-level predictors of VR treatment response in visceral cancer pain. To address these aims, the study will measure PROs and opioid use in 360 patients randomized among 3 groups and follow them for 60 days after enrollment: (1) an enhanced VR group receiving skills-based VR; (2) a distraction-based VR group receiving patient-selected VR videos; and (3) a VR sham control group using a VR headset with 2-D content. The results will inform best practices for the implementation of VR for visceral cancer pain management and guide selection of patient-tailored experiences.

Participants are eligible for this study who were treated for advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC) but the treatment either did not make the cancer better or is no longer working. The treatment for patients whose advanced BTC either did not make the cancer better or is no longer working is a combination of chemotherapy drugs called FOLFOX which consists of fluorouracil and oxaliplatin. Studies have shown that other treatments may work better to treat advanced BTC. In this study, investigators want to see if treating patients with the drug combination of trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI) and another drug called oxaliplatin works better than FOLFOX for advanced BTC as second-line therapy. FTD/TPI are pills that are taken by mouth, whereas oxaliplatin is given intravenously (by IV).

Gallstones are relatively frequent in women and constitute one of the main risk factors for gallbladder cancer (GBC). Currently, GBC diagnosis is mainly based on imaging (ultrasound or abdominal CT) associated with invasive examinations (biopsy and surgery), with no marker available to date to accurately predict risk and diagnose the disease early. The only curative treatment for GBC remains surgery with complete resection of tumors in early stages. Given the aggressiveness of GBC and the very limited therapeutic options, as well as the possibility of preventing GBC by cholecystectomy during the 10 to 20 years required for the development of gallbladder tumors, it is imperative to develop effective and efficient prevention strategies based on a prioritization of interventions according to environmental and genetic-molecular risk factors. The investigators aim to identify epidemiological factors linked to the development of GBC, and to identify, validate and functionally characterize genetic-molecular markers in blood, saliva, urine, bile and stool that allow risk prediction, early diagnosis and precision treatment of incidental tumors.

This trial is a prospective randomized superiority trial comparing sole ropivacaine based local trocar site infiltration to local infiltration combined with laparoscopic ropivacaine TAP block (STALL) in LCC. There are only a few randomized trials comparing sole local anesthesia to additional laparoscopic TAP block in laparoscopic cholecystectomy and they have yet failed to show evidence in favor of TAP block. We hypothesize STALL (Single Transversus Abdominis Laparoscopy-guided plane block combined with Local trocar site ropivacaine infiltration) is superior to local port site infiltration, provided that the sample size is sufficiently big. The aim of this randomized study is to compare the efficacy of sole local anesthesia of trocar sites to STALL in LCC.

The expression of proteins in the blood of obese individuals is different from the expression of proteins in healthy individuals, and is also different in individuals after bariatric surgery. Therefore, this research aims to better understand protein expression in patients indicated for surgical treatment of obesity, evaluating the pre-operative and post-operative status. The objective of this research is to better understand protein expression in patients indicated for surgical treatment of obesity, evaluating the pre-operative and post-surgery status.

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the most common malignant tumour of the biliary tract. It is also the most aggressive cancer of the biliary tract with the shortest median survival from the time of diagnosis. Currently, radical resection is the most effective strategy to potentially cure GBC. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy have been employed as adjuvant and palliative setting, however, the overall survival is still dismal. This study aim to evaluate the addition of Everolimus in addition to standard of care in gallbladder cancer.

Evidence suggests distinct models of molecular and pathologic progression, and a growing body of genetics data points to a heterogeneous collection of underlying mutations in key oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Although tumor genetics have been used to tailor individual treatment regimens and guide clinical decision making in other cancers, these principles have not been applied in gallbladder malignancy. Recent clinical trials with targeted therapies seem promising, although the relationships between subsets of patients with positive responses to therapy and tumor genetics remain unexplored.

The extent of hepatic resection for gallbladder cancer can be done from a wedge resection to 4b/5 bisegmentectomy. This study aims to compare the recurrence rates and survival rates between wedge resection group and bisegmentectomy group. Patients with T2 or T3 gallbladder cancer on preoperative CT exam or patients who were pathologically diagnosed as T2 or T3 gallbladder cancer after initial simple cholecystectomy were enrolled. All patients are randomly assigned to wedge resection or bisegmentectomy group. Number of patients in each group is 44. Primary endpoint is recurrence-free-survival rates and overall survival rates.

The aim of the study is to establishing a standardized clinical information database for patients with malignant tumors of gallbaldder. Based on the database, real-world clinical research on the diagnosis and treatment of biliary tract tumors is about to be carried out, and a high-standard cohort research foundation is laid for precision therapy.

In this study, the investigators aim to demonstration of relationship between triceps skinfold thickness and overall survival of pancreatic cancer, cholangiocarcinoma and GB cancer.

The aim of the study is to establishing a standardized biobank and a clinical information database for patients with benign and malignant tumors of the biliary system. With follow-up plans and advanced multiomics technology, a multiomics database for patients with benign and malignant tumors of the biliary tract will be further established. Based on the above work, real-world clinical research on the diagnosis and treatment of biliary tract tumors is about to be carried out, and a high-standard cohort research foundation is laid for precision therapy based on multiomics characteristics and molecular typing of biliary tract tumors.

Study design: Prospective, single-arm, single-center phase II clinical study; Primary endpoint: Objective response rate via investigator, Safety; Secondary endpoints: disease control rate, disease-free survival, overall survival, and proportion of acceptable radical resection of primary lesions; Main characteristics of enrolled patients: Patients with initially unresectable gallbladder cancer; Interventions: Combination of Gemcitabine, Nab-paclitaxel, Sintilimab and Bevacizumab; Sample size: Using Simon's two-stage design, 15 patients in the first stage, and if more than 4pts response, enlarge the sample size to 45 patients in total; Treatment until: 1. successfully conversed to resectable disease 2. progressed disease 3. intolerable toxicity 4. patient requests withdrawal; Research process: In this study, patients who met the inclusion criteria were evaluated at the end of every 9 weeks of treatment, up to surgical treatment or disease progression; Safety evaluation: Evaluate adverse reactions according to CTCAE 5.0; Follow up: every 90 days (±7 days) until the subject died, lost follow-up or the end of the study.

No validated biomarkers exist that can identify patients with biliary tract cancer at an early stage or predict treatment outcomes. The objective of the present study is to find diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers.