New outlook for treatment for bile duct cancer
"We are excited by these results because these drugs are already being tested in clinical trials for other types of cancer and could be beneficial for patients with cholangiocarcinoma.”
Those with cancer of the bile duct could soon be helped by a new class of experimental drug, a study led by the University of Edinburgh has revealed.
Scientists have discovered that a key pathway, known as wnt, is the driving force behind the growth of tumours in bile duct cancer.
Experimental drugs that block the wnt pathway are already being tested in patients with other cancers, but this is the first sign that bile duct cancer could also be treated in this way.
Researchers discovered that the treatment stopped the bile duct cancer cells from growing in the lab and shrank tumours in animals with the disease. They are now preparing to test whether these drugs will be effective in human patients.
The bile ducts are a series of tubes that drain toxins from the liver. Bile duct cancer, known as cholangiocarcinoma, is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, making it very difficult to treat with surgery. It typically does not respond to chemotherapy and fewer that one in twenty patients will survive for five years after diagnosis.
Professor Stuart Forbes from the MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, said: “We are excited by these results because these drugs are already being tested in clinical trials for other types of cancer and could be beneficial for patients with cholangiocarcinoma.”
Dr Luke Boulter from the MRC Human Genetics Unit at the University of Edinburgh, said: “Identifying the signals that control bile duct cancer’s growth will allow us to design better treatments that are urgently needed.”
Helen Moremont, chairman trustee of AMMF, The Cholangiocarcinoma Charity, said: “This is potentially very exciting. Cholangiocarcinoma is an under-researched, much neglected but truly devastating disease, so it is good to see progress being made in novel areas. We are hopeful that this research work with wnt will provide a real step forward towards a clinical trial and some long awaited possible improvements in treatment.”
The BSAVA has opened submissions for the BSAVA Clinical Research Abstracts 2026.
