Photodynamic therapy in the biliary tract.

Biliary tract cancers are rare malignancies usually characterized by slow growth and a low propensity for metastasis. Despite the relatively localized nature of these cancers, the only therapeutic measure with curative potential to date is surgical intervention. Because symptoms occur late, the diagnosis is rarely made at an early stage, and therefore only about half of the patients can have curative surgery. Patients with advanced disease face a dismal prognosis because palliative treatment options are limited. This review outlines recent advances in treatment of biliary cancer. Encouraging results from prospective, single-arm phase II trials of photodynamic therapy in nonresectable cholangiocarcinoma suggest considerable promise for this new palliative treatment modality. However, the apparent benefit of photodynamic therapy on survival, jaundice, and quality of life must be confirmed in a randomized multicenter trial.