Gut Liver.  2010 Sep;4(Suppl 1):S62-S66.

Photodynamic Therapy for Cholangiocarcinoma

Affiliations
  • 1Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA. mk5ke@virginia.edu

Abstract

Cholangiocarcinoma is the primary malignancy arising from the biliary epithelium, and it presents as jaundice, cholestasis, and cholangitis. Over 50 percent of patients present with advanced-stage disease, and the prognosis is poor with the survival measured in months even after biliary decompression. Palliative management has become the standard of care for unresectable disease, and this involves an endoscopic approach. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves the administration of a photosensitizer followed by local irradiation with laser therapy. The use of PDT for palliation of bile-duct tumors has produced promising results. Several studies conducted in Europe and the United States have shown that PDT produces a marked improvement in the symptoms of cholestasis, survival, and quality of life. This chapter summarizes the principle of PDT, the technique employed, and the published experience regarding PDT for cholangiocarcinoma.

Keyword

Cholangiocarcinoma; Photodynamic therapy; Biliary cancer

MeSH Terms

Cholangiocarcinoma
Cholangitis
Cholestasis
Decompression
Epithelium
Europe
Humans
Jaundice
Laser Therapy
Photochemotherapy
Prognosis
Quality of Life
Standard of Care
Triazenes
United States
Triazenes
Full Text Links
  • GNL
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr