PALLIATION OF BILIARY OBSTRUCTION IN PATIENTS WITH ADVANCED BREAST-CANCER USING ENDOSCOPIC STENTS

Endoscopic insertion of a biliary endoprosthesis was successful in eig ht patients with extrahepatic biliary obstruction caused by breast can cer metastases. The serum bilirubin level was significantly reduced in seven patients and in four this was accompanied by marked symptomatic improvement. Endoprostheses required replacement after a median of 8 (range 3-127) weeks. Two patients responding to systemic anticancer th erapy survived 27 and 43 months. Endoscopically placed stents offer ef fective palliation of extrahepatic biliary obstruction caused by metas tatic breast cancer and long-term survival may be possible.