Targets for therapy in biliary tract cancers: the new horizon of personalized medicine

Chin Clin Oncol. 2020 Feb;9(1):7. doi: 10.21037/cco.2019.12.11.

Abstract

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are a set of molecularly distinct and heterogeneous diseases. While cytotoxic chemotherapy remains the current standard of care for treatment-naïve and treatment-refractory unresectable disease, recently identified mutations driving oncologic development offer opportunities for targeted therapy. Currently, alterations in the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR), isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), v-Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B (BRAF), DNA damage repair, and HER2 pathways have demonstrated promising new therapeutic avenues, among others, and various studies have demonstrated clinical activity with targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors and/or antibodies. In this review, we will discuss the currently identified targets for therapy in BTCs and review currently available data regarding clinical development of treatment options in these molecularly distinct subsets.

Keywords: Biliary tract cancer (BTC); cholangiocarcinoma; targeted therapy.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biliary Tract Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Precision Medicine / methods*