[Palliative bile duct irradiation]

Carcinoma of the common hepatic bile duct or common bile duct were treated by interstitial irradiation with gold seeds using the percutaneous transhepatic drainage partly boosted by external irradiation. The interstitial dose of 50 Gy was given in two applications and 40 Gy by linac. Twice histological examination showed wide tumor destruction of local irradiation, but also much more tumor extension than seen before by diagnostic investigation. Mostly the therapy is only palliative because of the infiltration of liver and lymph nodes.