First-line Treatment Selection for Advanced Unresectable Biliary Tract Cancer

Authors

  • Arwa Ahmed Abdelrahim, MD Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON
  • Rachel Goodwin, MD Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58931/cot.2025.2341

Abstract

Biliary tract cancer (BTC) comprises a group of heterogenous malignancies that arise from the bile ducts (intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma) and the gallbladder (gallbladder cancer). Collectively, these malignancies carry a poor prognosis, which is attributed to the advanced stage at presentation. Historically, advanced BTC had a reputation of being less responsive to chemotherapy, a theory that was changed in the last decade, likely due to improved biliary drainage techniques that consequently improve liver function. Few advances have been made in the treatment of advanced and unresectable BTC in the past couple of years.

Author Biographies

Arwa Ahmed Abdelrahim, MD, Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON

Dr. Arwa Ahmed Abdelrahim presently is a medical oncology fellow specializing in GI oncology at The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Center. She earned her MBBS and MD degrees from the University of Bahri in Sudan, and later specialized in internal medicine and medical oncology at Hamad Medical Corporation in Qatar. During her medical oncology fellowship in Qatar, she contributed to the reorganization of the Hepato‑pancreatobiliary Tumor Board (HPB MDT). Dr. Ahmed interests comprise clinical research in GI oncology and translational research.

Rachel Goodwin, MD, Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON.

Dr. Goodwin is currently Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa, The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre. Dr. Goodwin completed her medical school and medical oncology training at University of Ottawa, The Ottawa Hospital. She went on to complete a two-year Drug Development Fellowship at CCTG (Canadian Cancer Trials Group), Queen’s University, Kingston. She has now worked in Ottawa for close to fifteen years in the areas of gastrointestinal malignancies. She is actively involved in clinical trials via her role as CCTG Colon Disease Site Co-chair and Chair of GI Clinical trials at The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre. She has a keen interest in transitioning biomarker-based systemic therapy into clinical practice. Dr. Goodwin is the Medical Oncology co-chair for the Gastrointestinal Disease Site Group, Program in Evidence Based Care for Ontario.

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Published

2025-11-05

How to Cite

Ahmed Abdelrahim, A., & Goodwin, R. (2025). First-line Treatment Selection for Advanced Unresectable Biliary Tract Cancer. Canadian Oncology Today, 2(3), 12–20. https://doi.org/10.58931/cot.2025.2341

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Volume 2, Issue 3, Fall 2025

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