Published online Mar 16, 2022. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v14.i3.106
Peer-review started: May 30, 2021
First decision: October 18, 2021
Revised: November 24, 2021
Accepted: February 25, 2022
Article in press: February 25, 2022
Published online: March 16, 2022
Surgery is the only curative treatment for cholangiocarcinoma. However, most patients present with advanced disease, and hence are unresectable. Thus, the intent of treatment shifts from curative to palliative in the majority of cases. Biliary drainage with intraluminal brachytherapy is an effective means of relieving the malignant biliary obstruction. In this review, we discuss the role of brachytherapy in the palliation of obstructive symptoms in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.
Core Tip: Intraluminal brachytherapy (ILBT) is an effective means for palliation of biliary obstruction in patients with cholangiocarcinoma. It delivers a high dose of radiation to the tumor but spares surrounding normal tissues, thus avoiding many of the side effects seen with external beam radiation. The high dose per fraction in ILBT can have an ablative effect on the tumor and can lead to better symptom control and quality of life. ILBT, when combined with these drainage procedures, improves the stent patency rates by inhibiting tumor ingrowth.