Immunotherapy drug shows promise in bile duct cancer trial
NCT ID NCT04924062
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This Phase 3 trial tested whether adding the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab to standard chemotherapy (gemcitabine and cisplatin) helps people with advanced bile duct cancer live longer. The study enrolled 158 Chinese adults with cancer that had spread or could not be removed by surgery. Researchers compared overall survival and cancer progression between those who got the immunotherapy combo and those who got a placebo plus chemo.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
pembrolizumab (an immunotherapy drug) plus gemcitabine and cisplatin (chemotherapy)
What this could lead to
If successful, this combination could become a new first-line treatment option for advanced biliary tract cancer, potentially improving survival.
What could go wrong
This is a Phase 3 trial, but results may not apply to all populations. Immunotherapy can cause immune-related side effects, and the benefit over chemo alone may be modest.
Disclaimer
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This is a summary of
the original study
.
Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
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900 Hospital of the Joint ( Site 0137)
Fuzhou, Fujian, 350025, China
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Anhui Provincial Hospital ( Site 0140)
Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
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Beijing Cancer Hospital ( Site 0138)
Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 100036, China
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First Affiliated Hospital of The Third Military Medical University ( Site 0130)
Chongqing, Chongqing Municipality, 400038, China
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Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center ( Site 0160)
Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 201315, China
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Fujian Provincial Cancer Hospital ( Site 0154)
Fuzhou, Fujian, 350014, China
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Guangdong Provincial People s Hospital ( Site 0161)
Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
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Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital ( Site 0133)
Harbin, Heilongjiang, 610000, China
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Hunan Cancer Hospital ( Site 0132)
Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China
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Hunan Provincial People Hospital ( Site 0142)
Changsha, Hunan, 410005, China
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Peking Union Medical College Hospital ( Site 0150)
Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 100730, China
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Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine ( Site 0158)
Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200127, China
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Tangdu Hospital ( Site 0146)
Xi’an, Shanxi, 710038, China
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The 81st Hospital of PLA ( Site 0128)
Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210031, China
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The First Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University ( Site 0136)
Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China
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The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi an Jiaotong University ( Site 0145)
Xi’an, Shanxi, 710048, China
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The First Hospital of Jilin University ( Site 0131)
Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China
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The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University ( Site 0157)
Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China
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Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital ( Site 0155)
Tianjin, Tianjin Municipality, 300060, China
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West China Hospital of Sichuan University ( Site 0147)
Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
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Zhejiang Cancer Hospital ( Site 0134)
Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China
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Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University ( Site 0129)
Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200032, China