Clinical outcomes for previously treated patients with advanced biliary tract cancer: a meta-analysis.

A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to evaluate the efficacy of treatments for previously treated advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC) patients. Databases were searched for studies evaluating treatments for advanced (unresectable and/or metastatic) BTC patients who progressed on prior therapy. Pooled estimates of objective response rate (ORR), median overall survival (OS) and median progression-free survival (PFS) were calculated using random effects meta-analysis. Across 31 studies evaluating chemotherapy or targeted treatment regimens in an unselected advanced BTC patient population, pooled ORR was 6.9%, median OS was 6.6 months and median PFS was 3.2 months. The efficacy of conventional treatments for previously treated advanced BTC patients is poor and could be improved by novel therapies.