Defining the role of second-line chemotherapy for patients with advanced / inoperable biliary tract cancer (FOLFOX (oxaliplatin/5FU))

Narrative

Previously, there was no standard treatment option beyond one line of chemotherapy for patients with advanced / inoperable biliary tract cancer.

Our phase 3 study (ABC-06) across 20 UK centres evaluated the value of second-line FOLFOX (folinic acid, fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin) chemotherapy to these patients and demonstrated benefit.

In July 2022, National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommended FOLFOX as the preferred regimen for subsequent-line therapy for biliary tract cancers if there is disease progression, based on the ABC-06 trial.

In February 2023 ESMO guidelines recommended FOLFOX in a second line setting for patients with advanced or metastatic biliary tract cancer.

In August 2023, the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaften, AWMF) recommended FOLFOX as a second line therapy.

Impact date	2022
Category of impact	Health and wellbeing
Impact level	Benefit