title: Intraluminal high dose rate brachytherapy in the treatment of bile duct and gallbladder carcinomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prognosis of biliary tract carcinomas is poor, and therapeutic efforts are limited mostly only to palliation. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the effectiveness and tolerability of intraluminal high dose rate brachytherapy in the treatment of bile duct and gallbladder carcinomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen patients with bile duct and gallbladder carcinomas were treated by brachytherapy administered through high dose rate remote afterloading system. Five patients after Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunoanastomosis were treated by intraluminal brachytherapy inserted via a diahepatal drain, and 8 inoperable patients were treated by intraluminal brachytherapy via a percutaneous biliary drain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After intraluminal brachytherapy, a control of icterus was observed in all patients. The treatment was well tolerated and mean survival was 275 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The addition of intraluminal brachytherapy may be beneficial to patients with carcinomas causing biliary obstruction in whom bile drainage can be established.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Charles University Medical School and Teaching Hospital, 50005 Czech Republic. dvorakj@fnhk.cz
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dvorák
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jandík
authors.forename: Bohuslav
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Melichar
authors.forename: Bohumil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jon
authors.forename: Jindriska
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mergancová
authors.forename: Zdenek
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zoul
authors.forename: Zdenek
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Vacek
authors.forename: Jirí
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Petera
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000713:Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005706:Gallbladder Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007582:Jejunostomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome