Frontiers in Oncology (Aug 2023)

An unresectable and metastatic intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with EML4-ALK rearrangement achieving partial response after first-line treatment with ensartinib: a case report

  • Senmiao Huang,
  • Dianhe Li,
  • Yongye Huang,
  • Guojie Lu,
  • Ying Tian,
  • Xuefeng Zhong,
  • Yating Zheng,
  • Mengli Huang,
  • Fuxi Huang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2023.1191646
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13

Abstract

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Systemic chemotherapies are the primary treatment options for patients with unresectable and metastatic intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), but the effectiveness of current systemic therapies is limited. The development of targeted-therapy has changed the treatment landscape of ICC, and comprehensive genome sequencing of advanced cholangiocarcinoma patients could be beneficial to identify potential targets to guide individualized treatment. Herein, we reported an unresectable and metastatic ICC patient who detected EML4-ALK rearrangement in peripheral blood, which was later confirmed on tissue-based testing, and achieved partial response (PR) after first-line treatment with ensartinib. This case suggests that the liquid biopsy is of clinical value for unresectable or metastatic ICC, and the discovery of rare molecular targets provides new therapeutically approaches for advanced ICC patients.

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