Envafolimab plus lenvatinib and capecitabine shows activity in resected biliary tract cancer

BACKGROUND: Biliary tract cancer (BTC) is an aggressive malignancy characterized by a high recurrence rate and poor postoperative prognosis, despite advances in adjuvant therapy. This phase II study evaluated the efficacy and safety of a novel adjuvant regimen combining envafolimab, lenvatinib, and capecitabine in patients with BTC at high risk of recurrence following R0 resection. METHODS: This single-center, open-label, single-arm phase II trial enrolled patients with high-risk recurrence factors after curative resection. Patients received envafolimab (400 mg subcutaneously once every 3 weeks), Lenvatinib (8 mg orally once daily), and capecitabine (1000 mg/m orally twice daily, 2 weeks on/1 week off, continued without cycle limitation). The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS); secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS) and safety. RESULTS: 28 of 30 screened patients were included in the final analysis. The median DFS was 15.63 months, and the 1-year DFS rate was 68.3%. Median OS was not reached but 1-year OS was 91.4%. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 17 patients, with grade 3/4 TRAEs observed in eight patients. No treatment-related deaths were reported. Exploratory analysis suggested that baseline CA19-9 levels were significantly associated with early recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The adjuvant combination of envafolimab, lenvatinib, and capecitabine demonstrates promising efficacy and a manageable safety profile in high-risk BTC patients after R0 resection. However, these findings still require validation in larger, multicenter, randomized controlled trials.