Registry coordinator Prof. Guido Carpino and numerous Precision-BTC members advance the role of histology in CCA management
Unlike in other malignancies, such as lung cancer, histology currently plays only a limited role in the clinical management of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), beyond confirming the diagnosis. Given that histologic assessment of the tumor could help guide therapy selection and risk stratification, this remains an important area for further investigation.
Professor Guido Carpino (registry coordinator/WG2 co-Leader), together with researchers from the Precision-BTC Network and beyond, have made an important advancement along this line with the creation of the European CCA Histological Registry and the publication of the first paper based on this initiative: Refinement of histologic subtypes and identification of biomarkers linked to unfavorable prognosis in cholangiocarcinoma: The ENSCCA registries' framework for digital twin advancement.
The registry on its own is an important milestone. This multicenter effort integrates data from around 300 patients with comprehensive clinical records and includes access to various biological samples (upon request) and radiological images. This registry is, as aptly described by Carpino and co-authors, “a valuable resource and a platform for adopting an integrative approach to the study of CCA.”
The first paper based on this initiative underlines its importance. In it, the authors take the first steps in the definition of histological CCA subtypes with clinical and prognostic relevance using the data compiled in the registry. This is a great stride in filling the “histological gap” in CCA research, which will surely be built upon through further international, multidisciplinary cooperation and integration of data and samples from further European countries into the registry.
Interested in submitting cases to the registry or accessing data for your own study or for validating your results? We encourage you to reach out to Prof. Carpino and to contribute to this effort.