RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF ADVANCED BILE DUCT CANCER

On November 7-8, the 2024 Hanoi Cancer Prevention and Control Conference, organized by Hanoi Oncology Hospital in collaboration with the Vietnam Cancer Association and the Hanoi Department of Health, was successfully held, bringing together more than 500 leading experts from Vietnam and abroad.

A total of 88 scientific reports were presented and discussed on major topics such as cancer prevention and early detection, advances in surgery, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, molecular biology, artificial intelligence applications, as well as cancer psychology and sociology—all offering high practical value for patients.

Contributing to this major event, Dr. Bui Quang Loc from Hanoi French Hospital presented his report titled “The role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in treating advanced bile duct cancer” in the specialized gastrointestinal cancer session.

Bile duct cancer is difficult to detect early, as cancer cells develop quietly deep within the bile duct. As a result, most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage when surgery is no longer an option.

In his report, Dr. Bui Quang Loc shared recent research findings from 2022 to the present on treating advanced bile duct cancer through immunotherapy combined with the standard chemotherapy regimen using Gemcitabine (Gem) and Cisplatin (Cis).

New studies such as Topaz I (2022) and Keynote 966 (2023) show that combining immune checkpoint inhibitors with chemotherapy reduces the risk of disease progression by up to 25% and decreases mortality rates by 17-20%. Additionally, patients showed a more durable and sustained response compared to chemotherapy alone.

Currently, in the United States, Europe, and Japan, chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy is approved as a first-line treatment for advanced bile duct cancer. It is hoped that in the near future, the promising results of these global studies on immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy will be widely applied in Vietnam.

During the event, Dr. Bui Quang Loc also had the opportunity to share and exchange experiences with oncology specialists from Vietnam, as well as experts from France, Japan, and South Korea. This cooperation and knowledge exchange through large-scale events like this will continuously improve cancer treatment outcomes for patients in Vietnam.

To consult with or book an appointment with specialist doctors at Hanoi French Hospital, please contact our HOTLINE at 024.35771100 or INBOX our Facebook page “Hanoi French Hospital,” or via Zalo at zalo.me/2008009049335817955