Trial of Gemcitabine and Cisplatin in Patients With Inoperable Biliary Tract Carcinomas

Inclusion criteria

• Histologic or cytologic diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder, intra/extrahepatic bile ducts or papilla of Vater with locally advanced or metastatic disease (at study entry) that is not amenable to curative surgical resection or with recurrent disease after prior surgical resection or radiotherapy.
• Disease status must be measurable disease defined as: Bi-dimensionally measurable lesions with clearly defined margins and two perpendicular diameters that are clearly measurable by following:

• Computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with one diameter 2.0 cm or greater and the other diameter 1.0 cm or greater.
• Palpable Lesion, with both diameters 2 cm or greater. Disease progressing in areas of prior radiation therapy may be included.
• Patients must have received no prior chemotherapy for advanced disease.
• Prior radiotherapy must be completed at least 4 weeks before study enrollment. Patients must have recovered from the acute toxic effects of the treatment prior to study enrollment.

Exclusion criteria

• Treatment within the last 30 days with a drug that has not received regulatory approval for any indication at the time of study entry.
• Heart failure, angina pectoris or arrhythmia that are poorly controlled in spite of medication or acute myocardial infarction within 6 months preceding study enrollment
• Severe neurological or mental disorder.
• Active infection that in the opinion of the investigator would compromise the patient's ability to tolerate therapy.
• Poorly controlled diabetes mellitus.