Cholangiocarcinoma in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis: Insights with Sumera Ilyas, MBBS

Sumera Ilyas, Cholangiocarcinoma MBBS, an assistant professor of immunology and medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, engaged in a discussion with HCPLive about the key insights from her presentation on cholangiocarcinoma in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). She emphasized the pressing unmet needs in these patients and underscored the significance of extending advancements in the field globally.

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Ilyas participated as a speaker in the session titled “Advances in the Management of Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC), Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC), and Cholangiocarcinoma: A Global Perspective” at The Liver Meeting 2023 organized by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) in Boston. Her presentation focused on cholangiocarcinoma in the context of PSC.

Cholangiocarcinoma

Despite recent strides in cholangiocarcinoma, many new treatment options only marginally enhance survival for 2 to 3 months. Ilyas highlighted this unmet need in the realm of cholangiocarcinoma and PSC, emphasizing the imperative to develop more efficacious treatment alternatives for patients.

Addressing the issue of early diagnosis, Ilyas remarked, “I think the other big unmet need is diagnosing the disease at an earlier stage.” She expressed concern about the majority of cholangiocarcinoma patients being diagnosed at an advanced stage and highlighted ongoing efforts to explore various biomarkers and testing modalities. The goal is to identify ways to detect the disease earlier in PSC patients, allowing for targeted interventions and potentially identifying the subset of PSC patients at risk of developing cholangiocarcinoma.

While acknowledging recent advances in cholangiocarcinoma, Ilyas stressed the importance of making these advancements accessible on a global scale. She noted that efforts should be directed towards inclusive research endeavors that benefit communities worldwide.

Ilyas elaborated on the discussions during the session, emphasizing ongoing efforts to enhance access to sequencing efforts globally and provide healthcare providers with more options for their patients. The central takeaway from the session, according to Ilyas, is the mindfulness needed in generalizing these advances and ensuring their widespread availability.

However, beyond generalizing current advancements, Ilyas emphasized the need for improvement in diagnostic testing and the development of more effective treatment options. Despite progress, she highlighted that the survival gains achieved so far are modest, emphasizing the long road ahead.

Ilyas also drew attention to the rare nature of both PSC and cholangiocarcinoma, which results in limited familiarity with managing these diseases. Additionally, access to necessary diagnostic tools for screening is restricted, prompting a call for global efforts to improve access to advanced diagnostic testing, such as advanced endoscopic techniques, through initiatives like workshops in regions like Africa to equip providers with the tools needed for accurate diagnoses.