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Semin Liver Dis 2004; 24(2): 177-187
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-828894
Copyright © 2004 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Photodynamic Therapy for Cholangiocarcinoma

Frieder Berr1
  • 1Professor of Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University, Department of Internal Medicine I, Landeskrankenanstalten, Salzburg, Austria
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
11 June 2004 (online)

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The prognosis of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (CC) is limited by tumor spread along the biliary tree leading to refractory obstructive cholestasis, cholangitis, and liver failure. Palliation with biliary endoprostheses yields median survival times between 4 and 6 months for nonresectable CC. Tumor ablation with photodynamic therapy (PDT) combined with biliary stenting reduces cholestasis and significantly improves median survival time to 11.5 to 16.2 months. PDT with porfimer and laser light of 630 nm provides tumoricidal tissue penetration to a depth of only 4 to 4.5 mm that does not eradicate most tumors. Time to progression lasts approximately 6 months; in other words, PDT is required twice annually. PDT costs less and enhances quality of life and survival time as compared with chemotherapy for metastatic colon cancer. These data suggest that PDT should be offered as part of the palliative treatment of CC in hepatobiliary referral centers.

KEYWORDS

Bile duct cancer - cholangiocarcinoma - hematoporphyrin derivative - photodynamic therapy - photosensitizer - porfimer sodium

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Frieder BerrM.D. 

Department of Medicine I, Paracelsus Medical University; Landeskrankenanstalten Salzburg

Muellner Hauptstr. 48; A-5020 Salzburg; Austria

Email: f.berr@lks.at

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