[Therapy and prognosis of 300 primary extrahepatic bile duct cancers]

A total of 300 patients (66% women, 34% men) had carcinoma of the bile ducts; 64% were located in the gallbladder and 36% in the bile ducts. In 77.3% the carcinomas had metastasized or were conglomerate tumors, while in 22.7% a curative resection was performed. In 35.3% a palliative operation or resection was indicated. An exploratory laparotomy was performed in 42%, but 75% of the patients died within 6 months. After 1 year 10.2% had survived. After curative resection 46 patients survived on the average over 17.6 months, while 12 patients survived an average of 5.1 years.