Published Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) remains a serious public health concern in Thailand due to the highest incidence and mortality rate in the world, as high as 6,000 – 10,000 fatalities/year! The patients usually die in distress within 6 months after detection due to a lack of effective pharmacological treatment. Currently, the only effective treatment is surgical treatment but can perform in a small number of patients. So, the research of effective medications for the patient is extremely important and should be prioritized first.
There are many Cholangiocarcinoma cases in Thailand, around 8 out of 10 Cholangiocarcinoma cases in the World!. There’s a lot of effort to prevent and to surveillance, the number of patients for the past decade but the number of cases is unlikely to decline. So, researching for an effective treatment is one of the key elements to the fight against this disease.
This is the collaboration between the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University. This recent discovery in CCA research has shown magnificent results and give some hope for Cholangiocarcinoma patients. The “CDK4-Cyclin D1 inhibitors” such as Palbociclib, Ribociclib, and Abemaciclib are effective and already been used in the clinic for several types of cancer i.e. breast cancer, with lower toxic compare to other chemotherapeutic agents. The Palbociclib, Ribociclib, and Abemaciclib are usually conveniently taken orally once a day, with relatively safer profiles compared to the chemotherapeutic agents. This is a giant leap in the Cholangiocarcinoma treatment.
