Unresectable Extrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer
Current Clinical Trials
Patients with unresectable extrahepatic bile duct cancer have cancer that
cannot be completely removed by the surgeon. These patients represent the
majority of cases of bile duct cancer. Often a proximal bile duct cancer
invades directly into the adjacent liver or into the hepatic artery or portal
vein. Portal hypertension may result. Spread to distant parts of the body is
uncommon, though transperitoneal and hematogenous hepatic metastases do occur
with bile duct cancers of all sites. Invasion along the biliary tree and into
the liver is common.
Standard treatment options:
- These patients cannot be cured, but relief of bile duct obstruction is
warranted when symptoms such as pruritus and hepatic dysfunction outweigh other
symptoms from the cancer. Such palliation can be achieved by anastomosis of
the bile duct to the bowel or by the placement of bile duct stents by
operative, endoscopic, or percutaneous techniques.[1,2] Palliative radiation
therapy after biliary bypass or intubation may be beneficial for some patients.
If a percutaneous catheter has been placed, it can be used as a conduit for
placement of sources for brachytherapy.[3,4] Patients with unresectable tumors
should be considered for inclusion in clinical trials whenever possible.
Treatment options under clinical evaluation:
- Patients with unresectable disease can be considered candidates for
inclusion in clinical trials that explore ways to improve the effects of
radiation therapy with various radiation sensitizers such as hyperthermia,
radiosensitizer drugs, or cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents.
- Patients with unresectable disease can be considered candidates for phase I
and II studies of chemotherapeutic agents or biologics. Fluorouracil,
doxorubicin, and mitomycin have been reported to produce transient partial
remissions in a small proportion of patients. Other drugs and drug
combinations await evaluation.[5]
Current Clinical Trials
Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with unresectable extrahepatic bile duct cancer. The list of clinical trials can be further narrowed by location, drug, intervention, and other criteria.
General information about clinical trials is also available from the NCI Web site.
References
-
Nordback IH, Pitt HA, Coleman J, et al.: Unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma: percutaneous versus operative palliation. Surgery 115 (5): 597-603, 1994.
[PUBMED Abstract]
-
Levy MJ, Baron TH, Gostout CJ, et al.: Palliation of malignant extrahepatic biliary obstruction with plastic versus expandable metal stents: An evidence-based approach. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2 (4): 273-85, 2004.
[PUBMED Abstract]
-
Fritz P, Brambs HJ, Schraube P, et al.: Combined external beam radiotherapy and intraluminal high dose rate brachytherapy on bile duct carcinomas. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 29 (4): 855-61, 1994.
[PUBMED Abstract]
-
Shin HS, Seong J, Kim WC, et al.: Combination of external beam irradiation and high-dose-rate intraluminal brachytherapy for inoperable carcinoma of the extrahepatic bile ducts. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 57 (1): 105-12, 2003.
[PUBMED Abstract]
-
Hejna M, Pruckmayer M, Raderer M: The role of chemotherapy and radiation in the management of biliary cancer: a review of the literature. Eur J Cancer 34 (7): 977-86, 1998.
[PUBMED Abstract]
Back to Top
< Previous Section | Next Section > |