Dear Readers,
In this issue of CCA News, we highlight presentations from the 2026 Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation Annual Conference, held in Salt Lake City, UT, May 1-3. The research featured in this issue showcases the remarkable progress being made across cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), from innovative immunotherapy strategies and novel therapeutic targets to advances in overcoming treatment resistance and improving patient outcomes.
Eric Tran, PhD, presented exciting advances in cellular immunotherapy for CCA. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapies, gene-engineered T cells, and emerging approaches utilizing circulating tumor-reactive T cells are expanding the possibilities for personalized immunotherapy and may help overcome some of the limitations of current treatment approaches.
Mitchell Ho, PhD, highlighted progress in the development of CAR T-cell therapies targeting glypicans and mesothelin. Although substantial challenges remain in adapting CAR T-cell therapy to solid tumors, advances in protein engineering and target selection continue to move this promising modality closer to clinical application in CCA.
Nabeel Bardeesy, PhD, addressed one of the most important challenges in the field: therapeutic resistance. His work has revealed how adaptive signaling pathways and tumor microenvironmental factors contribute to resistance to targeted therapies and suggests that novel combination strategies that may lead to more durable responses in patients with CCA.
Additional presentations explored emerging therapeutic opportunities. Funda Meric-Bernstam, MD, reviewed the growing role of antibody-drug conjugates in biliary tract cancers, and Matías A. Avila, PhD, presented compelling research on protein arginine methyltransferases as potential therapeutic targets capable of suppressing tumor growth and enhancing antitumor immunity.
Skye C. Mayo, MD, MPH, shared encouraging results with hepatic arterial infusion pump chemotherapy for intrahepatic CCA. This liver-directed approach has demonstrated promising survival outcomes and may expand treatment opportunities for selected patients with unresectable disease.
Together, these presentations illustrate how advances in basic science, translational research, and clinical investigation are accelerating the development of more precise and effective therapies for CCA. As our understanding of this disease continues to deepen, these discoveries offer renewed optimism for patients and families affected by CCA.
Yours truly,
Milind Javle, MD
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