Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41228244›Full record

ReviewCancers2025

Prognostic Role of Circulating DNA in Biliary Tract Cancers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Sara Boggio, Laura Alaimo, Edoardo Poletto, Alberto Quinzii, Giada Scoccati, Mario De Bellis, Simone Conci, Tommaso Campagnaro, Andrea Ruzzenente

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Cancers, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Sara BoggioGeneral and Hepato-Biliary Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Gynecology, and Pediatrics, University of Verona, University Hospital G.B. Rossi, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.
Laura AlaimoGeneral and Hepato-Biliary Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Gynecology, and Pediatrics, University of Verona, University Hospital G.B. Rossi, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-5681-2719
Edoardo PolettoGeneral and Hepato-Biliary Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Gynecology, and Pediatrics, University of Verona, University Hospital G.B. Rossi, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-9222-0104
Alberto QuinziiDepartment of Medicine, Division of Oncology, University of Verona, University Hospital G.B. Rossi, 37134 Verona, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-2142-1352
Giada ScoccatiGeneral and Hepato-Biliary Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Gynecology, and Pediatrics, University of Verona, University Hospital G.B. Rossi, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.
Mario De BellisGeneral and Hepato-Biliary Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Gynecology, and Pediatrics, University of Verona, University Hospital G.B. Rossi, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-7932-5921
Simone ConciGeneral and Hepato-Biliary Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Gynecology, and Pediatrics, University of Verona, University Hospital G.B. Rossi, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.
Tommaso CampagnaroGeneral and Hepato-Biliary Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Gynecology, and Pediatrics, University of Verona, University Hospital G.B. Rossi, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-7930-2455
Andrea RuzzenenteGeneral and Hepato-Biliary Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Gynecology, and Pediatrics, University of Verona, University Hospital G.B. Rossi, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-6911-563X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBiliary tract cancer (BTC) is an aggressive malignancy often diagnosed at an advanced stage and is associated with a poor prognosis. Non-invasive approaches can facilitate the early detection and identification of biomarkers to inform treatment strategies. Liquid biopsy, particularly through the analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), has recently emerged as a valuable clinical and prognostic tool for guiding BTC management.

methodsThe PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Wiley databases were searched for terms related to BTC and ctDNA, aiming to include studies evaluating the value of ctDNA as a predictor of overall (OS), progression-free (PFS), disease (DFS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS).

resultsTwelve studies encompassing 2374 patients were considered eligible. The detection of ctDNA was associated with higher mortality and progression risk (HR 2.61, 95%CI 2.19-3.11 and HR 2.69, 95%CI 1.82-3.98, respectively), regardless of the ctDNA sampling time. The variant allele frequency (VAF) emerged as a valuable predictive marker, with higher VAF values being associated with higher mortality and progression risk (HR 2.37, 95%CI 1.83-3.06, and HR 2.22, 95%CI 1.40-3.53, respectively) compared with low levels of VAF. This association was observed regardless of chemotherapy administration, suggesting that VAF may serve as a potential marker of treatment resistance.

conclusionsThis review underscores the clinical relevance of ctDNA status and related markers, such as VAF, in the management and prognostic evaluation of BTC. The findings support the integration of liquid biopsy into clinical practice to improve risk stratification, enable the early detection of relapse, and inform personalized treatment strategies, ultimately contributing to more precise and effective patient care in BTC.

Indexed as

biliary tract cancerchemotherapyctDNAliquid biopsylong-term outcomes

Identifiers

PMID41228244
PMCPMC12609761

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.