Welcome! | Go Green for BTC

February is
Biliary Tract Cancer
Awareness Month

THIS MONTH
LET'S GO GREEN

Go green for BTC Biliary tree

Why GO GREEN this February?

Green is the official color of Biliary Tract Cancer Awareness Month. Help us spread the word about this rare disease and the urgent need for progress.

Biliary tract cancer is challenging to treat, tending to be heterogeneous and complex—and most patients are already in an advanced stage at diagnosis.1

With around 15,000 new cases each year in the US alone, and a 5-year survival rate of just 3% for metastatic disease, it's clear innovation is critical.2,3

Dr. Haley Ellis
BILIARY TRACT CANCERS ARE CHALLENGING, BUT PROGRESS HAS NEVER MOVED FASTER. WITH THE DISCOVERY OF MANY TARGETABLE DRIVERS, BILIARY TRACT CANCER HAS BECOME A MODEL FOR PRECISION ONCOLOGY... COMPREHENSIVE BIOMARKER TESTING IS KEY TO MATCHING PATIENTS TO THE MOST EFFECTIVE TARGETED THERAPIES.
—Dr. Haley Ellis, Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute

Optimized biliary tract cancer care starts with biomarker testing

Dr. Robin Kelley
CHOLANGIOCARCINOMA AND GALLBLADDER CANCER ARE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT CANCERS, BUT WE HAVE A NEW SENSE OF HOPE NOW THANKS TO MANY NEW TREATMENTS ON THE HORIZON AND REACHING THE CLINIC. THESE NEW TREATMENTS CAN MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE FOR MANY OF OUR PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
—Dr. Robin Kelley, University of California San Francisco

Don't let HER2 go undetected in biliary tract cancer. HER2 overexpression hyperactivates pathways to fuel tumor growth.1,4-6

UP TO
~0%
of patients with biliary tract cancer are HER2-positive.7

It's critical to test for HER2 at diagnosis. Treatments that target HER2 have been shown to improve outcomes in patients with HER2-positive biliary tract cancer.8,9

Discover how the next generation of HER2-targeted antibodies may help patients with HER2+ biliary tract cancer

Explore HER2 targeting External arrow

Taking action with The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation (CCF)

CCF is a global nonprofit dedicated to fostering hope and improving outcomes for those impacted by biliary tract cancer. Jazz Pharmaceuticals is proud to work alongside CCF advocating for patients and their loved ones, and supporting healthcare professionals—this month, and every month.

EVERYTHING WE DO AT CCF COMES BACK TO PATIENTS, WHOSE STORIES INSPIRE US. WE'RE GLAD TO PARTNER WITH JAZZ FOR BILIARY TRACT CANCER AWARENESS MONTH TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE DISEASE AND ULTIMATELY SUPPORT MEANINGFUL IMPROVEMENTS IN DIAGNOSIS, DRUG DISCOVERY, AND PATIENT OUTCOMES.
— Dr. Juan Valle, MD, Chief Medical Officer

FOR MORE DETAILS, AND WAYS TO HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE, VISIT THE CHOLANGIOCARCINOMA FOUNDATION

Explore more from CCF External arrow

BTC=biliary tract cancer; HER2=human epidermal growth factor receptor 2.

REFERENCES:

  1. Kim H, Kim R, Kim HR, et al. HER2 aberrations as a novel marker in advanced biliary tract cancer. Front Oncol. 2022;12:834104. doi:10.3389/fonc.2022.834104
  2. Nghiem V, Wood S, Ramachandran R, et al. Short- and long-term survival of metastatic biliary tract cancer in the United States from 2000 to 2018. Cancer Control. 2023;30:10732748231211764. doi:10.1177/10732748231211764
  3. Koshiol J, Yu B, Kabadi SM, Shroff RT. Epidemiologic patterns of biliary tract cancer in the United States: 2001-2015. BMC Cancer. 2022;22(1):1178. doi:10.1186/s12885-022-10286-z
  4. Oh DY, Bang YJ. HER2-targeted therapies—a role beyond breast cancer. Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2020;17:33-48. doi:10.1038/s41571-019-0268-3
  5. Zhao D, Klempner SJ, Chao J. Progress and challenges in HER2-positive gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma. J Hematol Oncol. 2019;12(1):50. doi:10.1186/s13045-019-0737-2
  6. Yu S, Liu Q, Han X, et al. Development and clinical application of anti-HER2 monoclonal and bispecific antibodies for cancer treatment. Exp Hematol Oncol. 2017;6:31. doi:10.1186/s40164-017-0091-4
  7. Hiraoka N, Nitta H, Ohba A, et al. Details of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status in 454 cases of biliary tract cancer. Hum Pathol. 2020;105:9-19. doi:10.1016/j.humpath.2020.08.006
  8. Bartley AN, Washington MK, Colasacco C, et al. HER2 testing and clinical decision making in gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma: guideline from the College of American Pathologists, American Society for Clinical Pathology, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. J Clin Oncol. 2017;35(4):446-464. doi:10.1200/JCO.2016.69.4836
  9. Lee CH, Seo DH, Fox D, et al. Impact of HER2-positivity on prognosis and targeted therapeutic outcomes in advanced biliary tract cancer. Presented at: ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium; January 23-25, 2025; California, USA.