MULTIDISCIPLINARY TREATMENT OF BILIARY-TRACT CANCERS

Ninety-six patients referred for radiation therapy to Washington Unive rsity affiliated institutions with tumors of the extrahepatic biliary tree form the basis of this report. Patients were examined with regard to demographic factors, tumor primary site, presenting symptoms, meth ods of diagnosis, and methods of management. The median survival of al l 96 patients in this series was 11 months. There was no significant d ifference between patients with gallbladder cancer and patients with c ancer of the biliary ductal system. There was a statistically signific ant improvement in survival in those patients undergoing resection as management or as a component of the management of their tumors (P = 0. 02). Patients receiving >4,000 cGy of radiation therapy had an improve d survival compared to those patients receiving less-than-or-equal-to 4,000 cGy of radiation therapy (P = 0.003). While surgical resection i mproved survival for those patients undergoing removal of all gross tu mor, this effect was noted especially in patients with gall-bladder ca ncer. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.