Citations 5

Long-Term Outcomes and Surgical Conversion After Immunotherapy in Microsatellite Instability-H Biliary Tract Cancers

JCO Precision Oncology | July 10, 2026 | Volume: 10 | Issue: 7 | Pages: No page available

10.1200/po-25-01156 | PMID 42430699

PURPOSE Deficient mismatch repair/microsatellite instability (dMMR, MSI-H) in biliary tract cancers (BTCs) is observed in 1%-5% of tumors. MSI-H across solid tumors has demonstrated durable response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) regardless of the anatomic location. Here, we describe clinical outcomes and surgical conversion of MSI-H BTC treated with ICIs. Patients and Methods We conducted a multicenter, retrospective analysis of BTC patients with dMMR/MSI-H between 2017 and 2024 at Mayo Clinic, University of Michigan, and University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center. Outcomes of interest were surgical resection rate, rate of pathologic response, 2-year overall survival (OS; time from initiation of treatment to death/last follow-up), and time to treatment discontinuation (TTD; time from initiation of treatment to cessation because of any cause). Analyses were descriptive. RESULTS Thirty patients with MSI-H BTC were identified: 19 with cholangiocarcinoma, three with gallbladder cancer, and 8 with BTC undefined. The median age at diagnosis was 61.5 years (range, 26-86). Twenty-six (86.7%) patients had advanced stage at diagnosis. Twenty-seven patients (90%) received first-line systemic therapy, and 13 (48.1%) continued onto second line. Six patients (23.1%) were restaged to resectable from advanced disease after ICI therapy and underwent resection; all remained recurrence-free at last follow-up. Of these six patients, 3 (50%) achieved a pathologic complete response. Among those receiving first-line therapy, the median TTD was 9.9 months (95% CI, 5.7 to 14.5 months) and the 2-year OS was 73% (95% CI, 56% to 94%). CONCLUSION ICI therapy in patients with MSI-H BTC demonstrated durable response and downstaged some BTC to a resectable stage. dMMR/MSI-H should be performed up-front to guide treatment decisions.
First-line atezolizumab/bevacizumab or durvalumab/tremelimumab in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a real world, multicenter retrospective study

The Oncologist | September 20, 2025 | Volume: 30 | Issue: 11 | Pages: No page available

10.1093/oncolo/oyaf286 | PMID 40973475

Abstract Background Unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) is a leading cause of cancer death. FDA-approved first-line systemic therapies include atezolizumab/bevacizumab (atezo/bev) and durvalumab/tremelimumab (durva/treme); however, there is a lack of comparative data. Methods We reviewed outcomes of patients with uHCC who initiated atezo/bev or durva/treme between 2017 and 2024, across six institutions. Overall survival (OS) and time to treatment discontinuation (TTD) were analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier and Cox models, adjusting for baseline characteristics. Results Four hundred fifty-two uHCC pts were included. Median age: 68 years; 77% male; 81% white. Most common etiologies were viral hepatitis (38.9%) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (19.5%). Disease progression was the primary reason for treatment discontinuation, atezo/bev (56%) and durva/treme (42%). Outcomes were not statistically significant (median OS [month, m]: 14.0 vs 14.6 [P = .66]; median TTD [m]: 4.9 vs 3.9 [P = .42] for atezo/bev vs durva/treme). Outcomes were significantly different between Child-Pugh classes (CP: A, B7, B8/9, C) respectively, median OS(m): 19.0, 6.1, 5.1, 2.0 (P < .001); median TTD(m): 6.1, 2.3, 3.0, 1.3 (P < .001). Conclusions In this real-world study of uHCC, no significant difference in clinical outcomes was observed between atezo/bev and durva/treme in the first-line setting. CP scores were a key prognostic variable with both regimens.
Exploring the prevalence of germline mutations in young-onset biliary tract cancer (BTC).

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 10587-10587

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.10587

10587 Background: The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and NCCN recommend germline testing for patients (pts) with biliary tract cancers (BTC), particularly those diagnosed at a young age. Prior studies estimate that approximately 15% of pts with BTC harbor pathogenic germline alterations. Germline testing can identify hereditary cancer syndromes, guide targeted therapy, and inform family counseling. This study aimed to further characterize and describe the prevalence of pathogenic germline variants (PGVs) in patients with young-onset BTC (YO-BTC). Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of medical records for pts diagnosed with YO-BTC (ages 18–55) across all Mayo Clinic tri-sites from January 2014 to October 2024. Data collected included results from germline DNA sequencing, tumor genetic testing, demographics, history of other malignancies, and family history of cancer. The primary outcome was the identification of pathogenic germline mutations associated with cancer predisposition. Results: Among 239 pts with YO-BTC, the median age at diagnosis was 43 years (range 19–55), with 62% female and 65.2% identifying as white. Clinical germline testing (e.g., Invitae, Ambry, Myriad) was performed in 123 pts (51.5%), revealing PGVs in 15 pts (12.1%), variants of uncertain significance (VUS) in 30 pts (24.3%), and likely benign variants in 4 pts (3.2%). Among those with PGVs, DNA repair mutations were the most common findings (10/15), including ATM (4), CHEK2 (2), BRCA2 (2), BAP1 (1), and PALB2 (1). One pt had a Lynch syndrome-associated mutation (MSH6), and four had mutations in other cancer-related genes (MUTYH, HOXB13, RMRP, and PIK3CA). Tumor genomic profiling (via CARIS, TEMPUS, or FoundationOne) was performed in 9 pts with PGVs, detecting the variant in 4 (44%), while liquid biopsy (Guardant) identified the PGV in 4 of 6 cases (66.6%).The majority of PGV carriers had advanced BTC (14/15), with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma being the most prevalent (11/15), while 4 had extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Additionally, most PGV carriers had a first- or second-degree relative with a prior history of malignancy (14/15), and 3 pts had a second malignancy. Of the 15 pts with PGVs, 4 had BTC associated with primary sclerosing cholangitis. Conclusions: In this large institutional series of YO-BTC, PGVs were identified in 12.1% of pts, demonstrating a significant yield from germline testing in this population. Notably, tissue and liquid biopsies demonstrated different detection rates for PGVs, underscoring the variability in PGVs reporting across platforms. Germline testing through CLIA-approved methods should remain the standard of care. DNA repair pathway mutations, particularly ATM, CHEK2, and BRCA2, were the most frequently identified PGVs, highlighting their role in the pathogenesis of YO-BTC and their potential to guide treatment decisions.
Long-term outcomes and surgical conversion following immunotherapy in MSI-H biliary tract cancers.

Journal of Clinical Oncology | January 27, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 4_suppl | Pages: 592-592

10.1200/jco.2025.43.4_suppl.592

592 Background: Deficient mismatch repair/microsatellite instability (MSI-H) in biliary tract cancers (BTC) is rare, estimated to be 1-5%. MSI-H across solid tumors has shown unprecedented durable response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) regardless of anatomic location. Here we describe the clinical outcomes of unresectable BTC patients with MSI-H treated with ICIs and their conversion to surgery. Methods: We conducted a multicenter, retrospective analysis of patients (pts) with advanced BTC who had been identified with MSI-H by molecular analysis performed between 2017 and 2024 at Mayo Clinic and University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center. The outcomes of interest were overall survival (OS), defined as time from initiation of first-line systemic treatment to death; Time-to-treatment failure (TTF), defined as time from initiation of treatment to cessation due to any cause; and response. All analyses were done descriptively. Results: We identified 22 MSI-H pts with BTC, 19 with cholangiocarcinoma and 3 with gallbladder cancer. Median age at diagnosis was 61 (range 26-86), 20 (90.9%) were Caucasian, 9 (40.9%) were male gender, and 5 (22.7%) had etiology as Lynch syndrome. Twelve (54.5%) pts had metastatic disease at diagnosis. Twenty pts (90.9%) received first line systemic therapy, of whom 11 (55%) continued onto second line. Among the 20 pts that received first line therapy, median TTF was 7.6 months (95% CI: 4.8-14.3), objective response was observed in 7 (35%) pts, and disease control was observed in 15 pts (75%). Among the 11 pts that continued onto second line systemic treatment, objective response was observed in 4 pts (36%) and disease control was observed in 6 pts (55%). Among the 20 pts that received first line therapy, 19 (95%) ever received ICI +/- chemotherapy as a part of their treatment plan. Two-year OS for pts who ever received ICI was 63% (95% CI: 41%-96%). In total, 4 pts (20%) were restaged to resectable following treatment with an ICI, underwent resection, and currently have no evidence of disease. Conclusions: Administration of ICI during treatment plan in pts with MSI-H confirmed durable response and even downstage pts to resectable stage for curative intent. Testing for MSI-H should be performed upfront to guide treatment decision.
Second-line therapies in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma following first-line atezolizumab and bevacizumab: multicenter single institution cohort experience

The Oncologist | December 14, 2024 | Volume: 30 | Issue: 8 | Pages: No page available

10.1093/oncolo/oyae342 | PMID 39674576

Abstract Background Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (A/B) received FDA approval as the first-line therapy for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in 2020. However, optimal subsequent treatment options are unclear. Here, we describe clinical outcomes of advanced HCC patients following first-line treatment with A/B. Patients and Methods We conducted a multi-site analysis of patients with HCC treated with first-line A/B between January 2018 and December 2022 at Mayo Clinic. This study cohort included all patients receiving second-line systemic therapy after A/B. Median overall survival (OS) and time-to-treatment discontinuation (TTD) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Child Pugh (CP) scores are also described at diagnosis, prior to first line, and prior to second-line therapy. Results Of the 342 patients who received A/B, 107 (31.3%) received second-line treatments including anti-VEGF therapy or immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) and were included in the final analysis. Median OS for all patients was 11.1 months from initiation of second-line therapy. Median OS was 10.7 months (95% CI: 7.2-12.8) and 15.7 months (95%CI: 6.8-NE) for those receiving anti-VEGF inhibitors and ICI ( P = .50). Median TTD for second-line therapies was 2.4 months (95% CI: 1.7-3.3) and 2.6 months (95% CI: 1.5-5.1) for anti-VEGF inhibitors and ICI, respectively (P = .87). In multivariate analyses, CP was significantly associated with survival. Conclusion Following first-line A/B treatment, there is no statistically significant difference in survival between ICI and anti-VEGF therapy, nor in time to treatment discontinuation. CP score remains an important prognostic tool.