Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41323366›Full record

ArticleTherapeutic advances in medical oncology2025

Nab-paclitaxel-based chemotherapy with or without anti-PD-(L)1 immunotherapy as a second-line treatment for advanced biliary tract cancer: a real-world retrospective study.

Nan Zhou, Xinyi Li, Mingyou Gao, Xiaofen Li, Sirui Tan, Qiancheng Hu, Zijian Lu, Xi Xiao, Tianhong Wang, Shunyu Zhang and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Therapeutic advances in medical oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

14 authors.

Nan ZhouDepartment of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6523-3337
Xinyi LiGastric Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6594-6170
Mingyou GaoDepartment of Nutrition, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8931-6164
Xiaofen LiDepartment of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Sirui TanDepartment of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Qiancheng HuGastric Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Zijian LuDepartment of Pathology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Xi XiaoDepartment of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Tianhong WangDepartment of Clinical Research, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Shunyu ZhangGastric Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Haiyan LuoGastric Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Cheng YiDepartment of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Yu YangDepartment of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37, Guo Xue Xiang, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3853-7028
Hongfeng GouGastric Cancer Center, West China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2071-6773

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Second-line options for biliary tract cancer (BTC) are limited. While nab-paclitaxel has demonstrated certain antitumor activity, evidence remains scarce. With gemcitabine-cisplatin plus anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-(L)1) established as the first-line standard, the benefit of second-line immunotherapy-especially in patients without prior anti-PD-(L)1 exposure-remains unclear. Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of nab-paclitaxel-based second-line treatments for advanced BTC, and compare outcomes between regimens with and without anti-PD-(L)1. Design: This is a real-world retrospective study. Methods: This study reviewed BTC patients who received second-line nab-paclitaxel-based therapy at West China Hospital between August 2018 and August 2023. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS) in the entire population. Secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), response rate, adverse events (AEs) in the entire population, and comparison of survival outcomes and response rate between the chemo-anti-PD-(L)1 and chemotherapy groups. Results: Among 84 patients (41 in the chemo-anti-PD-(L)1 group and 43 in the chemotherapy group), the median OS was 15.17 months (95% confidence interval (CI), 12.63-21.43), median PFS was 5.40 months (95% CI, 3.23-8.03), objective response rate (ORR) was 21.43% (95% CI, 13.22-31.74), and disease control rate (DCR) was 60.71% (95% CI, 49.45-71.20). Common grade 3-4 AEs were leukopenia (21.4%), neutropenia (17.9%), and anemia (13.1%). Hepatitis (14.6%) was the most frequent immune-related AE. Although a numerical trend favored the chemo-anti-PD-(L)1 group, no statistically significant differences were observed in OS (16.9 vs 14.6 months), PFS (7.3 vs 4.6 months), ORR (29.3% vs 13.9%), or DCR (68.3% vs 53.5%). In the entire cohort, radical surgery improved OS. In addition, patients with a baseline neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio ⩾3 and a ⩽30% reduction in carbohydrate antigen 19-9 from an initially elevated level during treatment had worse OS and PFS. Conclusion: Nab-paclitaxel-based regimens represent a promising second-line treatment option for BTC. Although the improvement was not statistically significant, adding anti-PD-(L)1 therapy showed a trend toward improved survival. Trial registration: ChiCTR2500096599.

Indexed as

biliary tract cancercarbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9)immunotherapyNab-paclitaxelneutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR)second-line

Identifiers

PMID41323366
PMCPMC12663050

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.