Fj. Lofts et al., BILE-DUCT STENTS - IS THERE AN INCREASED RATE OF COMPLICATIONS IN PATIENTS RECEIVING CHEMOTHERAPY, European journal of cancer, 33(2), 1997, pp. 209-213
The aim of this study was to determine whether palliative chemotherapy
accelerates the rate of biliary stent occlusion, in patients with a m
alignant biliary obstruction. Such treatment can induce neutropenia an
d increase the risk of bacterial sepsis. Overgrowth of bacteria within
the bile of patients receiving chemotherapy could accelerate the rate
of stent occlusion. Retrospective analysis of treatment records for 8
0 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma arising from
the pancreas, bile ducts or gall bladder was conducted. Two groups we
re identified, those with a biliary stent in situ (primary stent group
: 47/80; 59%) at the time of referral and those without (no stent grou
p: 33/80; 41%). The majority of patients went on to receive chemothera
py, 64% and 70% in the primary stent group and no stent group, respect
ively. The rate of febrile neutropenia was similar in the two groups (
5% versus 7% of all chemotherapy cycles in the primary stent group and
no stent group, respectively). The rate of stent occlusion was not si
gnificantly different between those exposed to chemotherapy (37%; 95%
CI 20-54%) and those unexposed (39%; 95% CI 19-59%). Similarly, the me
an duration of patency was not shortened by chemotherapy (105 days in
the chemotherapy group versus 119 days in the non-chemotherapy group;
P = 0.97, Mann-Whitney U-test). We conclude that there is no evidence
of increased rate of bile duct-related complications in patients recei
ving chemotherapy. In particular, we find no indication for the use of
prophylactic antibiotics. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.