Research into gallbladder cancer
Researchers around the world are looking at better ways to treat gallbladder cancer. Go to Cancer Research UK's clinical trials database if you are looking for a trial for gallbladder cancer in the UK.
Talk to your specialist if there are any trials that you think you might be able to take part in.
Some of the trials on this page have now stopped recruiting people. It takes time before the results are available. This is because the trial team follow the patients for a period of time and collect and analyse the results. We include this ongoing research to give examples of gallbladder cancer research.
What are clinical trials?
Clinical trials are medical research studies involving people. All cancer treatments must be fully researched before they can be used for everyone. This is so we can be sure that:
- they work
- they are safe
- they work better than the treatments already available
The short video below explains what it is like to take part in a trial.
Ash: I was offered a place on a trial by my cancer nurse
Jean: There was a new trial with new drugs and they were confident it would work and they offered it to me and I’m so glad I took it.
Nilesh: What we did, my wife and I, was to do some research on the internet. We came across the source trial which is what I went on and we took that to the doctor and then requested that we be put on to that.
Amy: The only thing that did sort of trouble us as a family when they did tell us was that it was possibly quite painful and there may be some side effects that they didn’t know about.
Ash: I was quite concerned about taking part in a trial because you hear the word trial and you think its test.
Nilesh: You know you hear about trials, clinical trials, drug trials things like that. My reservations were what the side effects were going to be.
Ash: I decided it was the right thing for me because it would potentially offer patients in the future less side effect risk.
Jean: There were lots of questions I had to ask and they were all answered and I was confident in going through the trial and the after care.
Nilesh: Right from day one they’ve been monitoring me. You know I have regular checkups and all that.
Amy: Any symptoms that arose with Poppy, somebody was always there to make sure that she wasn’t in any pain or any suffering.
Ash: I didn’t feel that they were hiding anything from me which when you’re talking about a clinical trial is so important.
Jean: It’s a really warm feeling knowing that what you did has helped other people.
Nilesh: I just hope that I played a part in a new drug that’s out there.
Ash: For other patients and also for society in general.
Nilesh: You’ve got to feel comfortable about the trial itself before you sign up for it. So do your background knowledge and just be 100% that that’s where you want to go.
Ash: Think about it very carefully. Read all of the background literature and ask lots and lots of questions because there’s no harm in doing that.
Research into the diagnosis of gallbladder cancer
Gallbladder cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. Researchers want to find better ways of diagnosing this type of cancer, and at an earlier stage. They are looking at:
- new tests that look for proteins that may act as cancer markers (
tumour markers) 
- a different type of scan to see whether it can pick up tumours in the liver more clearly
- a blood test that can pick up small amounts of cancer
DNA . This is the SYMPLIFY study
Research into the treatment of gallbladder cancer
Researchers are always looking into ways to improve treatment, reduce side effects, and control symptoms.
Chemotherapy
Research is continuing into chemotherapy drugs and combinations of chemotherapy drugs to treat gallbladder cancer. Researchers are looking into:
- using chemotherapy to stop, or slow down the cancer coming back after surgery
- controlling the symptoms of advanced gallbladder cancer
- comparing chemotherapy drugs
Targeted cancer drugs and immunotherapy
Targeted cancer drugs are newer drugs and work in a different way to chemotherapy.
Targeted cancer drugs change the way that cells work. They can boost the body’s immune system to fight off or kill cancer cells. Or they can block signals that tell cells to grow.
Researchers are looking into different types of targeted drugs for gallbladder cancer. Targeted cancer drugs that they are looking at include:
- pembrolizumab
- lenvatinib
- durvalumab
- entrectinib
- selumetinib
- zanidatamab
- futibatinib
- nivolumab
- bevacizumab
Researchers are looking at the role of the gut in cancer treatment for people with advanced gallbladder cancer.
A study called ABC-12 is using the immunotherapy drug durvalumab in combination with chemotherapy drugs cisplatin and gemcitabine. The researchers will analyse the bacteria that live in our bowel and mouth to find out if they affect how well treatment works.
Reducing side effects of treatment
A small trial looked at whether acupuncture can reduce nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy) caused by chemotherapy. The trial team found that adding acupuncture to usual treatment helped. It improved the symptoms of nerve damage caused by chemotherapy.
