Chemoradiation and brachytherapy in extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma
Gian Carlo Mattiucci1, Rosa Autorino1, Giuseppe Roberto D'Agostino1
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
Background:
To explore the role of radiotherapy in the extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma, and to understand if and when radiotherapy could be effective for this group of patients.
Methods:
A systematic review of recently published literature was completed. Recent studies using radiotherapy with survival data, resection rates and quality of life data have been analyzed.
Results:
There are no randomized trials regarding the treatment of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. The bulk of available studies suggest that in some cases radio-chemotherapy can be used as adjuvant therapy. Radiotherapy could also have a role in unresectable cholangiocarcinoma: external radiotherapy or intraluminal brachytherapy--alone or in combination--could improve the outcome in selected patients. Finally, radiotherapy, and in particular intraluminal brachytherapy, could be used as a palliative treatment to improve the quality of life and in controlling symptoms.
Conclusion:
The role of radiotherapy in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma remains undefined due to the lack of randomized trials or otherwise properly controlled studies.
