Molecular Testing for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: What, When, How?

purposeIntrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) represents a biologically heterogeneous subgroup of biliary tract cancer (BTC) with a 5-year survival below 20%. Delayed diagnosis, intrinsic aggressiveness, and extensive intertumoral and intratumoral heterogeneity at the clinical, histopathological, and genomic level all contribute to this dismal outcome. Increasingly, treatment decisions in advanced iCCA depend on the identification of actionable molecular alterations, including FGFR2 fusions or rearrangements, IDH1 mutations, HER2 amplifications, NTRK fusions, and microsatellite instability (MSI-high) and/or mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR).

methodsA narrative review of the current literature was conducted, focusing on (i) what molecular alterations are clinically relevant today, (ii) when molecular profiling should be performed, and (iii) how testing should be technically implemented in routine clinical practice. Results iCCA, particularly the small-duct subtype, harbors a high prevalence of therapeutically actionable molecular alterations, in contrast to extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma. Early and comprehensive molecular profiling enables access to approved targeted therapies, molecularly stratified second-line treatments, and clinical trials. Combined DNA- and RNA-based next-generation sequencing, complemented by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization, provides the most reliable diagnostic framework.

conclusionMolecular testing has become an essential component of modern iCCA management. Broad, early, and technically integrated molecular profiling-ideally performed at initial diagnosis and interpreted in an interdisciplinary (molecular) tumor board-is critical to fully realize the potential of precision oncology in BTC.