Overview
Carcinoma of the liver and intrahepatic biliary tract is a group of cancers that start in the liver itself or in the bile ducts located inside the liver. The two most common types are hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which begins in the main liver cells, and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), which starts in the small bile ducts inside the liver. Together, these cancers are sometimes called primary liver cancers, meaning they originate in the liver rather than spreading there from somewhere else in the body. The liver is a vital organ that filters the blood, helps digest food, and removes toxins from the body. When cancer develops in the liver, it can interfere with all of these functions. Many people do not notice symptoms in the early stages. As the disease progresses, symptoms such as abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), unexplained weight loss, and fatigue become more common. Treatment depends on how advanced the cancer is, the patient's overall health, and the specific type of cancer. Options include surgery to remove the tumor, liver transplantation, ablation therapies that destroy tumor cells, radiation, chemotherapy, and newer targeted therapies or immunotherapy drugs. Early detection greatly improves the chances of successful treatment, which is why regular monitoring is recommended for people at high risk.
Also known as:
Key symptoms:
Pain or discomfort in the upper right side of the abdomenYellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)Unexplained weight lossLoss of appetiteFeeling very tired or weakSwelling or bloating in the abdomenNausea or vomitingPale or chalky stoolsDark-colored urineItchy skinFever without a clear causeA hard lump felt under the ribs on the right side
Multifactorial
Caused by a mix of several genes and environmental factors
Adult
Begins in adulthood (age 18 or older)
FDA & Trial Timeline
10 eventsMehmet Akce — PHASE2
Peking Union Medical College Hospital
West China Hospital — PHASE1
Wuhan Ammunition Life-tech Co., Ltd
Fudan University — PHASE2
Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital — PHASE2
Zhongda Hospital
Warangkana Lapisatepun — NA
HistoSonics, Inc.
City of Hope Medical Center
Data sourced from FDA regulatory filings and ClinicalTrials.gov. Updated periodically.
Treatments
No FDA-approved treatments are currently listed for Carcinoma of liver and intrahepatic biliary tract.
17 clinical trialsare actively recruiting — trials can provide access to cutting-edge therapies.
View clinical trials →Rare Disease Specialist
Treatment Centers
8 centersBaylor College of Medicine Rare Disease Center ↗
Baylor College of Medicine
📍 Houston, TX
🏥 NORDStanford Medicine Rare Disease Center ↗
Stanford Medicine
📍 Stanford, CA
🔬 UDNNIH Clinical Center Undiagnosed Diseases Program ↗
National Institutes of Health
📍 Bethesda, MD
🔬 UDNUCLA UDN Clinical Site ↗
UCLA Health
📍 Los Angeles, CA
🔬 UDNBaylor College of Medicine UDN Clinical Site ↗
Baylor College of Medicine
📍 Houston, TX
🔬 UDNHarvard/MGH UDN Clinical Site ↗
Massachusetts General Hospital
📍 Boston, MA
🏥 NORDMayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine ↗
Mayo Clinic
📍 Rochester, MN
👤 Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine
🏥 NORDUCLA Rare Disease Day Program ↗
UCLA Health
📍 Los Angeles, CA
Travel Grants
No travel grants are currently matched to Carcinoma of liver and intrahepatic biliary tract.
Community
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Start the conversation →Latest news about Carcinoma of liver and intrahepatic biliary tract
Disease timeline:
New recruiting trial: Biobank for Cholestatic Liver Diseases.
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Carcinoma of liver and intrahepatic biliary tract
New recruiting trial: HAIC Combined With Camrelizumab Plus Rivoceranib for Advanced Mixed Hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (HCC-CCA)
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Carcinoma of liver and intrahepatic biliary tract
New recruiting trial: LEOPARD Training and Validation Data Collection Study
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Carcinoma of liver and intrahepatic biliary tract
New recruiting trial: Novel Subtypes and Treatment Strategies of Patients with Unresectable Combined Hepatocellular Cholangiocarcinoma Based on Multimodal Data
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Carcinoma of liver and intrahepatic biliary tract
Caregiver Resources
NORD Caregiver Resources
Support, advocacy, and financial assistance for caregivers of rare disease patients.
Mental Health Support
Rare disease caregiving can be isolating. Connect with counseling and peer support.
Family & Caregiver Grants
Financial assistance programs specifically for caregivers of rare disease patients.
Social Security Disability
Learn how rare disease patients may qualify for SSDI/SSI benefits.
Questions for your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment
- Q1.What type and stage of liver cancer do I have, and what does that mean for my treatment options?,Should my tumor be tested for specific genetic mutations, and how will those results affect my treatment?,Am I a candidate for surgery, liver transplantation, or ablation therapy?,What clinical trials are available for my type and stage of cancer?,What are the most important side effects to watch for with the treatment you are recommending?,How will we monitor whether the treatment is working, and how often will I need scans or blood tests?,Should I or my family members be tested for any inherited conditions that may have contributed to this cancer?
Common questions about Carcinoma of liver and intrahepatic biliary tract
What is Carcinoma of liver and intrahepatic biliary tract?
Carcinoma of the liver and intrahepatic biliary tract is a group of cancers that start in the liver itself or in the bile ducts located inside the liver. The two most common types are hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which begins in the main liver cells, and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), which starts in the small bile ducts inside the liver. Together, these cancers are sometimes called primary liver cancers, meaning they originate in the liver rather than spreading there from somewhere else in the body. The liver is a vital organ that filters the blood, helps digest food, and removes
How is Carcinoma of liver and intrahepatic biliary tract inherited?
Carcinoma of liver and intrahepatic biliary tract follows a multifactorial inheritance pattern. Genetic counseling can help families understand recurrence risk and testing options.
At what age does Carcinoma of liver and intrahepatic biliary tract typically begin?
Typical onset of Carcinoma of liver and intrahepatic biliary tract is adult. Age of onset can vary across affected individuals.
Are there clinical trials for Carcinoma of liver and intrahepatic biliary tract?
Yes — 17 recruiting clinical trials are currently listed for Carcinoma of liver and intrahepatic biliary tract on UniteRare. See the clinical trials section on this page for phase, sponsor, and site details sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov.
Which specialists treat Carcinoma of liver and intrahepatic biliary tract?
18 specialists and care centers treating Carcinoma of liver and intrahepatic biliary tract are listed on UniteRare, sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov principal investigators, published research, and the NPPES NPI registry.