Radiation therapy for primary carcinoma of the extrahepatic biliary system. An analysis of 63 cases

Journal Article · Mon Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Cancer (Philadelphia); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-0142(19910715)68:2<289::AID-CNCR2820680213>3.0.CO;2-2· OSTI ID:5320069

Flickinger, J C; Epstein, A H; Iwatsuki, S; Carr, B I; Starzl, T E ^[1]

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1. Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA (USA)

From 1976 to 1988, 63 patients received radiation therapy for primary cancers of the extrahepatic biliary system (eight gallbladder and 55 extrahepatic biliary duct). Twelve patients underwent orthotopic liver transplantation. Chemotherapy was administered to 13 patients. Three patients underwent intraluminal brachytherapy alone (range, 28 to 55 Gy). Sixty patients received megavoltage external-beam radiation therapy (range, 5.4 to 61.6 Gy; median, 45 Gy), of whom nine received additional intraluminal brachytherapy (range, 14 to 45 Gy; median, 30 Gy). The median survival of all patients was 7 months. Sixty patients died, all within 39 months of radiation therapy. One patient is alive 11 months after irradiation without surgical resection, and two are alive 50 months after liver transplantation and irradiation. Symptomatic duodenal ulcers developed after radiation therapy in seven patients but were not significantly related to any clinical variable tested. Extrahepatic biliary duct cancers, the absence of metastases, increasing calendar year of treatment, and liver transplantation with postoperative radiation therapy were factors significantly associated with improved survival.

• OSTI ID: 5320069
• Journal Information: Cancer (Philadelphia); (United States), Journal Name: Cancer (Philadelphia); (United States) Vol. 68:2; ISSN 0008-543X; ISSN CANCA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550603* -- Medicine-- External Radiation in Therapy-- (1980-)
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
BILIARY TRACT
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BODY
CARCINOMAS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISEASES
GLANDS
INJURIES
LIVER
MEDICINE
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORGANS
PATIENTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION INJURIES
RADIOLOGY
RADIOTHERAPY
SURVIVAL CURVES
THERAPY
TRANSPLANTS