Rachna T. Shroff, MD, MS

This edition of Year in Review is focused on cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), which is a diverse group of malignancies characterized by genomic heterogeneity that potentially drives its pathogenesis. Below is a quick review of some of the topics discussed in this issue, with a focus on recent advances, potentially practice-changing developments, and ongoing challenges in CCA.

Rachna Shroff, MD, from the University of Arizona Cancer Center, presents her insights into important new data in cholangiocarcinoma from ASCO GI 2021. New evidence is being presented on FGFR inhibitors, targeted therapies, chemotherapy in second-line, combination therapy, immunotherapy, and more.

The first confirmed case in the United States of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was reported on January 21, 2020, and as of November 27, 2020, there were >63 million confirmed cases and >1.5 million deaths globally. Despite the global impact, certain populations have been identified as having a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 infection, including patients with cancer. Various studies have shown that patients with cancer experience particularly poor outcomes after COVID-19 infection. As a result of the pandemic, care delivery has been disrupted to some degree based on the need for prioritization and limitations on resources. Therefore, healthcare providers and patients have been continually reassessing the balance between the benefits and risks of anticancer interventions in the context of the added risk of COVID-19 infection.