Biliary cancer brain metastases: a multi-institution case series with case reports.

Background: Biliary cancers are rare, and few reported cases of brain metastases from primary biliary cancers exist, especially describing patients in the United States. This report assesses the proportion and incidence of brain metastases arising from primary biliary cancers [cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and gallbladder cancer] at Stanford University and the University of California, San Francisco, describes clinical characteristics, and provides a case series.
Methods: We queried 3 clinical databases at Stanford and the University of California, San Francisco to retrospectively identify and review the charts of 15 patients with brain metastases from primary biliary cancers occurring between 1990 to 2020.
Results: Among patients with brain metastases analyzed at Stanford (3,585), 6 had a primary biliary cancer, representing 0.17% of all brain metastases. Among biliary cancer patients at the University of California, San Francisco (1,055), 9 had brain metastases, representing an incidence in biliary cancer of 0.85%. A total of 15 biliary cancer patients with brain metastases were identified at the two institutions. Thirteen out of 15 patients (86.7%, 95% CI: 59.5-98.3) were female. The median overall survival from primary biliary cancer diagnosis was 214 days (95% CI: 71.69-336.82 days) and subsequent OS from the time of brain metastasis diagnosis was 57 days (95% CI: 13.43-120.64 days). Death within 90 days of brain metastasis diagnosis occurred in 66.67% of patients (95% CI: 38.38-88.17).
Conclusions: Brain metastases from primary biliary cancers are rare, with limited survival once diagnosed. This report can aid health care providers in caring for patients with brain metastases from primary biliary cancers.
Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://jgo.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/jgo-21-818/coif). JLW reports having received payment from MJH Life Sciences for a continuing education presentation regarding treatments for IDH1 mutations in cholangiocarcinoma. RKK reports receiving grant support for the UCSF Hepatobiliary Tissue Bank and Registry from the Bili Project Foundation, Inc and The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation. RKK reports research support paid to their institution for clinical trial conduct from: Agios, Astra Zeneca, Bayer, BMS, Eli Lilly, EMD Serono, Exelixis, Genentech/Roche, Loxo Oncology, Merck, Novartis, Partner Therapeutics, QED, Relay Therapeutics, Surface Oncology, Taiho. RKK reports consulting fees paid to their institution from: Astra Zeneca, Agios, BMS, Merck, Exelixis, Ipsen. RKK reports serving as a Co-Chair of the Scientific and Medical Advisory Board of Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation and as a Member of the Governance Board of the International Liver Cancer Association. MHG reports grants (U54CA261717 and K08NS901527) to fund research projects from The National Institute of Health. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
(2022 Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology. All rights reserved.)