Immune cells take on rare bile duct cancer in early trial
NCT ID NCT03801083
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This early-phase trial tests whether a patient's own immune cells, called tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), can shrink advanced bile duct cancers. Four participants receive chemotherapy to prepare their immune system, then an infusion of their own TIL cells plus high-dose aldesleukin. The goal is to see if tumors shrink or disappear.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) plus high-dose aldesleukin
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new treatment option for patients with advanced biliary tract cancers who have run out of standard therapies.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early, small phase 2 trial with only 4 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The treatment involves intensive chemotherapy and high-dose aldesleukin, which can cause serious side effects.
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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
Locations
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UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15232, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Can blood tests reveal how liver and bile duct cancers respond to treatment?