Intraoperative radiation therapy for carcinoma of the gallbladder

The recognition of a high incidence of local failure following surgical management of adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder has led to the use of adjuvant radiation therapy. In order to deliver higher doses to the gallbladder bed, intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) has been used both with and without external beam radiation. The experience to date is reviewed. Ten patients have been treated, all of whom had either gross residual or unresected disease. The median survival for the group was approximately 1 year. There were no long-term survivors. The IORT did not contribute to the overall morbidity. Because of the limited number of patients and the advanced nature of the disease, the role of IORT in the management of gallbladder carcinoma has yet to be determined. The utility of this modality will most likely reside in the treatment of minimal residual disease at the time of cholecystectomy rather than in the palliative treatment of unresectable tumors.