OBJECTIVE Gemcitabine was approved for the treatment of biliary tract cancer in 2006 in Japan. While biliary tract cancer is usually associated with patients 70 years of age or older and/or those who tend to have underlying liver dysfunction, data on this population were limited in the Japanese Phase II study of gemcitabine. Thus, further evaluation of safety and effectiveness in this populatio...

The Liver and Hepatobiliary System Metabolic Functions of the Liver Carbohydrate, Protein, and Lipid Metabolism Drug and Hormone Metabolism Bile Production and Cholestasis Cholestasis Bilirubin Elimination Tests of Hepatobiliary Function Disorders of the Liver Hepatitis Acute Viral Hepatitis Chronic Hepatitis Intrahepatic Biliary Disorders Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Primary Sclerosing Cholangiti...

Gallbladder cancer, though generally considered rare, is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract, accounting for 80%-95% of biliary tract cancers. An early diagnosis is essential as this malignancy progresses silently with a late diagnosis, often proving fatal. Its carcinogenesis follows a progression through a metaplasia-dysplasia-carcinoma sequence. This comprehensive review focuses o...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the correlation between biliary-enteric surgical drainage and the late development of cholangiocarcinoma of the biliary tract. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA In patients with biliary-enteric drainage, reflux of intestinal contents into the bile duct may occur and cause cholangitis, which is regarded as the most serious complication of these procedures. Lithiasis of the biliary ...

We present the case of a 38-year-old woman diagnosed with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the biliary tract in the 18th week of pregnancy. Chemotherapy based on cisplatin and gemcitabine was administered, reaching disease stabilization until late-preterm delivery at 35 + 0 weeks of gestation. The infant was healthy and showed no malformations. Her head circumference was small, yet no neurological ...

The possible influence of phenobarbital and phenytoin treatment on cancer risk was investigated in a case-control study nested in a cohort of 8004 epileptic patients in Denmark. Information on anticonvulsive treatments was abstracted for 95% of 60 patients with cancers of the liver and biliary tract or malignant lymphoma and for 94% of 171 cancer-free control patients. Use of anticonvulsive dru...

1. Background Three former and current employees of a printing plant in Osaka were reported having developed biliary tract cancer, announced the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in May 2012. Those workers at the printing room used to handle chlorinated hydrocarbons as ink cleaner all day, according to their claims for workers’ compensation filed on 30 March 2012. The Ministry started to i...

OBJECTIVES The prognosis for patients with unresectable biliary tract cancer is poor and existing chemotherapy is relatively ineffective. Therefore, a need exists for new, effective chemotherapeutic regimens. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety profile of gemcitabine plus cisplatin in patients with unresectable biliary tract cancer (cholangiocarcinoma) and gall bladde...

Health disparities are defined as “differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of diseases and other adverse health conditions that exist among specific population groups in the United States” (US Department of Health and Human Services 2002). Arguably the most remarkable health disparities in the United States is the difference in the incidence of biliarytract cancers (BTC)...

Purpose: The prognosis of patients with advanced biliary tract cancer is extremely poor and there are only a few standard treatments. We performed a phase I trial to investigate the safety, immune response and anti-tumor effect of vaccination with four peptides derived from cancer-testis antigens, with a focus on their fluctuations during long-term vaccination until the disease had progressed. ...