It is my great pleasure to launch the inaugural issue of CCA News, an important new publication highlighting the latest research and development in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). I am proud that we now have a focused publication on biliary tract cancers and am humbled to serve as the first editor-in-chief.
This journal will review the latest clinical research in CCA and biliary tract cancers based on the peer-reviewed literature, oncology meetings, and updates on developments in new drugs.
Readers will be educated on ongoing and completed pivotal clinical trials related to CCA and biliary tract cancers, including reviews of the latest basic and translational research related to these types of cancer, with an aim to develop an understanding of the pathophysiology of these complex diseases. We welcome contributions that demonstrate the value of a multidisciplinary approach and will address any controversies in the field.
We will provide a forum for a wide-ranging discussion on these topics among academia, research, industry, and patient advocacy groups, including the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation. Varied formats will be considered for publication, including full-length review articles, summaries of FDA approvals and in-depth reviews of new drugs introduced into the market, as well as highlights of conference proceedings, case studies, best practice articles, and supportive care guidelines. We will use a debate format to discuss controversial topics in CCA and biliary tract cancers.
The past year has been truly historic with the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the resilience of the CCA community has been inspirational. On April 17, 2020, the FDA granted accelerated approval to pemigatinib (Pemazyre; Incyte Corporation) for the treatment of adults with previously treated, unresectable locally advanced or metastatic CCA with a fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) fusion or other rearrangements, as detected by an FDA-approved test. This is the first drug to be approved by the FDA for the treatment of CCA associated with FGFR2 fusion, and this approval represents a remarkable breakthrough for patients with this type of cancer. In this inaugural issue, we include an in-depth review of this important development in drug therapy for this patient population.
In this issue, we also present the highlights of research and new findings related to CCA and biliary tract cancers that were presented at the 2020 annual meetings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Association for Cancer Research, as well as the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation.
Finally, in this issue we discuss the implications of the recent inclusion of the new targeted drug ivosidenib (Tibsovo) in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s hepatobiliary cancers guidelines, which was published on June 1, 2020.
CCA News will be published 4 times annually, starting with 3 issues in 2020.
On behalf of the authors, reviewers, volunteers, and study sponsors, I welcome the readership of CCA News and look forward to working with you to make this publication a success. We hope to hear from you soon, and we welcome your feedback!
If you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns, please address them to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Yours sincerely,
Milind Javle, MD Professor, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology Division of Cancer Medicine The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX
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