Korean J Pancreas Biliary Tract.  2015 Apr;20(2):71-77. 10.15279/kpba.2015.20.2.71.

The Efficacy of Intraluminal Brachytherapy as Palliative Therapy of Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma

• Park JS
• Jeong S
• Kim WC
• Lee DH

• KMID: 2448477
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.15279/kpba.2015.20.2.71

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
The aim of this study is to assess the therapeutic benefits of a combination of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and intraluminal brachytherapy (ILBT) in hilar cholangiocarcinoma as palliative therapy.
METHODS
A total of 21 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma were included. Only 12 patients were treated with EBRT (group 1), and only nine patients were treated with EBRT and ILBT (group 2). The survival data and stent patency period were measured in both groups and the results were compared.
RESULTS
No statistically significant difference in patient survival was observed between the two groups. The median survival period of group 1 was 353 days and that of group 2 was 224 days. Also, stent patency did not differ significantly between groups. The period for group 1 was 250 days, and that of group 2 was 133 days. In addition, there were no other factors influencing patient survival and stent patency period. However, patient survival tended to increase with increase in the amount of irradiation dose (Spearman's correlation coefficient=0.65, p=0.065).
CONCLUSIONS
EBRT with ILBT did not have a benefit when compared with the treatment effect of EBRT alone as palliative therapy for hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Keyword

Cholangiocarcinoma; Radiotherapy; Stents; Radiation dosage; Survival analysis

MeSH Terms

Brachytherapy*
Cholangiocarcinoma*
Humans
Palliative Care*
Radiation Dosage
Radiotherapy
Stents
Survival Analysis