Current Targeted Therapy Options in the Treatment of Cholangiocarcinoma: A Literature Review

Biliary cancer (BC) is a rare disease. It is formed from the biliary epithelium of the small ducts in the liver periphery (intrahepatic) and the main ducts of the hilum (extrahepatic). The incidence of intrahepatic carcinoma is rising in the western world, and the incidence of gallbladder cancer is declining. Surgical treatment is the primary treatment option for localized forms of these tumors, but only a small group of patients is eligible for it. Palliative therapy is the standard treatment option for those with advanced cases, and it mainly relies on chemotherapy. The advanced form's five-year survival of BC does not exceed 5%. However, targeted therapy aimed at tumors with fusion mutations of the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR), isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) 1 and 2, the genes encoding the B-Raf protein (BRAF), breast cancer (BRCA1/2), epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and the neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase gene (NTRK), is gradually changing the paradigm in the treatment of this disease. This can be seen especially in approaches to treating intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, which is associated with a high incidence of mutations. This literature review aims to provide the latest scientific evidence regarding targeted therapy in treating cholangiocarcinoma.