Clinical Trials

Can add to this please email steve@cholangiocarcinoma.com.au

Many new tests and treatments are constantly in development, but many are not yet available to the public or not offered as a “First-line” treatment option. These new tests and treatments are often offered to patients within a strict controlled clinical trial study.

Clinical trials offer patients the opportunity to become involved in treatments that may well become tomorrow’s standard of care. It is important that your Oncologists are conversant/aware of current trial options.

For Cholangiocarcinoma patients in Australia, there are limited Clinical Trial options, but that should not dissuade you from researching all possibilities. Included below are 2 Australian search options, and the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation (USA) options. We provide this information here to ensure you gain a full overview of the current options regardless of where they originate or are currently located.

Clinical trials will require that you have the biomarkers that align to specific trial requirements hence the importance of obtaining a biopsy (tissue sample of the tumour) and having it tested, in the first instance a simple IHC test (3-5days) and inexpensive and thereafter a full molecular (Genomic) profile.

For Cholangiocarcinoma patients it would be a significant mistake to assume that your surgeon or Oncologist will automatically engage an IHC (Staining test) on your behalf. You will need to ensure or ask that this be completed.