Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42514243›Full record

ArticleLife (Basel, Switzerland)2026

Clinical Prognostic Factors and Survival Risk Stratification for Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer Treated with Gemcitabine-Based Palliative Chemotherapy: A Real-World Retrospective Study.

Jirapat Wonglhow, Arunee Dechaphunkul, Patrapim Sunpaweravong, Chirawadee Sathitruangsak, Panu Wetwittayakhlang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Life (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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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

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No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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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

5 authors.

Jirapat WonglhowDivision of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand.ORCID 0000-0003-1265-7459
Arunee DechaphunkulDivision of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand.ORCID 0000-0002-0593-4385
Patrapim SunpaweravongDivision of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand.ORCID 0000-0001-9787-270X
Chirawadee SathitruangsakDivision of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand.ORCID 0000-0002-9788-3692
Panu WetwittayakhlangGastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, Division of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand.ORCID 0000-0002-5962-4112

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAlthough gemcitabine-based palliative chemotherapy remains widely used for advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC), practical pretreatment prognostic factors are needed. This study identified baseline prognostic factors associated with overall survival (OS) and explored a simple risk stratification approach for 12-month survival in advanced BTC patients treated with gemcitabine-based chemotherapy.

methodsThis retrospective cohort study included advanced BTC patients treated with gemcitabine-based palliative chemotherapy between 2011 and 2025. Baseline clinical and laboratory variables were collected at treatment initiation. The Kaplan-Meier method estimated OS. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analyses identified prognostic factors. A post hoc exploratory risk score was developed using routinely available factors independently associated with OS.

resultsA total of 154 patients were included, gemcitabine plus cisplatin was administered to 95 patients, whereas 59 received gemcitabine plus carboplatin. Median OS was 9.43 months. Multivariable analysis showed that ECOG performance status ≥ 2 (adjusted HR, 5.68; 95% CI, 2.52-12.81), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) ≥ 2 × ULN (adjusted HR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.01-2.33), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ≥ 3 (adjusted HR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.03-2.20) were associated with worse OS. An exploratory score assigning one point to each factor stratified patients into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups. The estimated 12-month OS rates were 59.6%, 40.4%, and 10.8%, respectively.

conclusionsPoor performance status, elevated ALP, and elevated NLR were associated with worse OS in advanced BTC patients receiving gemcitabine-based palliative chemotherapy. However, the associations for ALP and NLR were modest and should be interpreted cautiously. A simple exploratory score based on routinely available factors demonstrated distinct 12-month survival across risk groups and may help inform prognostic discussions in routine practice. This approach should be considered hypothesis-generating, and external validation is warranted.

Indexed as

alkaline phosphatasebiliary tract cancercholangiocarcinomagemcitabineneutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratiooverall survivalpalliative chemotherapyperformance statusprognostic factorsrisk stratification

Identifiers

PMID42514243
PMCPMC13413110

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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.