A phase II trial of S-1 and cisplatin in patients with metastatic or relapsed biliary tract cancer.

BACKGROUND

Optimal chemotherapy for advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC) is yet to be defined. We carried out this study to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of combination chemotherapy with S-1 and cisplatin in metastatic or relapsed BTC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with pathologically proven BTC were eligible. The chemotherapy regimen consisted of S-1 (40 mg/m(2) p.o. b.i.d. from D1-14) and cisplatin (60 mg/m(2) on D1), repeated every 3 weeks.

RESULTS

Fifty-one BTC patients (metastatic:relapsed = 37:14, Gall-bladder:intrahepatic bile ducts:extrahepatic bile ducts = 16:25:10) were enrolled from January 2005 to December 2006. Median age was 57 years (range, 31-71) and most patients had a good performance status. The overall response rate was 30% [95% confidence interval (CI), 17.3-42.7] and complete response was observed in two patients (4%), partial response in 13 (26%), stable disease in 21 (42%), and progressive disease in 9 (18%). With a median follow-up of 12.4 months, the median time to progression was 4.8 months (95% CI, 3.3-6.3) and median overall survival was 8.7 months (95% CI, 6.0-11.4). Major toxic effects were grade 3/4 neutropenia (8.9% of all cycles) and febrile neutropenia was observed in six cycles (2.7% of all cycles).

CONCLUSION

Combination chemotherapy with S-1 and cisplatin was a moderately effective outpatient-based regimen in BTC patients. Toxic effects were moderate but manageable.