Comparative efficacy of targeted therapy, chemotherapy and their combination for advanced cholangiocarcinoma: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background Cholangiocarcinoma is a malignant tumor with a poor prognosis. Multiple randomized controlled trial (RCT) have shown conflicting benefits of different therapies. The study was to assess the effectiveness of chemotherapy (CT), targeted therapy (TT) and both of them (targeted therapy + chem...

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Main Authors: Zhoujun Liao, Zhuoyue Yao, Zhiqing Yang, Shaohua Yang, Wenjuan Gu, Huijie Wang, Lingyan Deng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: PeerJ Inc. 2025-05-01
Series:PeerJ
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Online Access:https://peerj.com/articles/19386.pdf
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author Zhoujun Liao
Zhuoyue Yao
Zhiqing Yang
Shaohua Yang
Wenjuan Gu
Huijie Wang
Lingyan Deng
author_facet Zhoujun Liao
Zhuoyue Yao
Zhiqing Yang
Shaohua Yang
Wenjuan Gu
Huijie Wang
Lingyan Deng
author_sort Zhoujun Liao
collection DOAJ
description Background Cholangiocarcinoma is a malignant tumor with a poor prognosis. Multiple randomized controlled trial (RCT) have shown conflicting benefits of different therapies. The study was to assess the effectiveness of chemotherapy (CT), targeted therapy (TT) and both of them (targeted therapy + chemotherapy; TT+CT) for advanced cholangiocarcinoma by a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Methods PubMed, EmBase, Medline, Cochrane were searched. Two reviewers independently selected published reports of RCT comparing any targeted therapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy combined with chemotherapy vs. placebo. The outcomes were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) on the hazard ratio-scale (HR) and mean differences-scale (MD). Results We included 13 RCT involving 1,914 patients. We revealed a differential reporting of outcomes. All three treatments significantly reduced the HR in OS and PFS when compared with the placebo. HR and MD values of OS and PFS in TT+CT group were significantly better than those in the other two groups. Only targeted therapy can significantly improve PFS in patients. Conclusions 1) All treatments significantly reduced the hazard ratio in OS and PFS when compared with the placebo; 2) HR and MD values of OS and PFS in TT+CT group were significantly better; 3) Only targeted therapy alone significantly increased the PFS of patients, thereby improving the quality of life of patients.
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spelling doaj-art-aef908b4728248a3a97bc9dbac24dc672025-08-20T03:49:37ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592025-05-0113e1938610.7717/peerj.19386Comparative efficacy of targeted therapy, chemotherapy and their combination for advanced cholangiocarcinoma: a systematic review and network meta-analysisZhoujun Liao0Zhuoyue Yao1Zhiqing Yang2Shaohua Yang3Wenjuan Gu4Huijie Wang5Lingyan Deng6Department of General Surgery, Panzhihua College Affiliated Hospital, Panzhihua University, Panzhihua, Panzhihua, ChinaBeijing TianTan Hospital, Beijing, ChinaJiangxi Dexing Hospital, Shangrao, ChinaThe First People’s Hospital of Qujing City, Qujing, ChinaTianjin Kanghui Hospital, Tianjin, ChinaJincheng People’s Hospital of Shanxi Province, Jincheng, ChinaMaternal and Child Healthcare Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, ChinaBackground Cholangiocarcinoma is a malignant tumor with a poor prognosis. Multiple randomized controlled trial (RCT) have shown conflicting benefits of different therapies. The study was to assess the effectiveness of chemotherapy (CT), targeted therapy (TT) and both of them (targeted therapy + chemotherapy; TT+CT) for advanced cholangiocarcinoma by a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Methods PubMed, EmBase, Medline, Cochrane were searched. Two reviewers independently selected published reports of RCT comparing any targeted therapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy combined with chemotherapy vs. placebo. The outcomes were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) on the hazard ratio-scale (HR) and mean differences-scale (MD). Results We included 13 RCT involving 1,914 patients. We revealed a differential reporting of outcomes. All three treatments significantly reduced the HR in OS and PFS when compared with the placebo. HR and MD values of OS and PFS in TT+CT group were significantly better than those in the other two groups. Only targeted therapy can significantly improve PFS in patients. Conclusions 1) All treatments significantly reduced the hazard ratio in OS and PFS when compared with the placebo; 2) HR and MD values of OS and PFS in TT+CT group were significantly better; 3) Only targeted therapy alone significantly increased the PFS of patients, thereby improving the quality of life of patients.https://peerj.com/articles/19386.pdfSystematic reviewComparative effectiveness reviewAdvanced cholangiocarcinomaChemotherapyTargeted therapy
spellingShingle Zhoujun Liao
Zhuoyue Yao
Zhiqing Yang
Shaohua Yang
Wenjuan Gu
Huijie Wang
Lingyan Deng
Comparative efficacy of targeted therapy, chemotherapy and their combination for advanced cholangiocarcinoma: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
PeerJ
Systematic review
Comparative effectiveness review
Advanced cholangiocarcinoma
Chemotherapy
Targeted therapy
title Comparative efficacy of targeted therapy, chemotherapy and their combination for advanced cholangiocarcinoma: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
title_full Comparative efficacy of targeted therapy, chemotherapy and their combination for advanced cholangiocarcinoma: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
title_fullStr Comparative efficacy of targeted therapy, chemotherapy and their combination for advanced cholangiocarcinoma: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
title_full_unstemmed Comparative efficacy of targeted therapy, chemotherapy and their combination for advanced cholangiocarcinoma: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
title_short Comparative efficacy of targeted therapy, chemotherapy and their combination for advanced cholangiocarcinoma: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
title_sort comparative efficacy of targeted therapy chemotherapy and their combination for advanced cholangiocarcinoma a systematic review and network meta analysis
topic Systematic review
Comparative effectiveness review
Advanced cholangiocarcinoma
Chemotherapy
Targeted therapy
url https://peerj.com/articles/19386.pdf
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