[Results of percutaneous transluminal irradiation of biliary tract carcinoma with 192Iridium].

In 22 patients with bile duct carcinoma's intratumoral irradiation was performed through a percutaneous biliary drainage. 17 of them had been found to be inoperable at laparotomy, 5 others had recurrent carcinoma at the site of a biliodigestive anastomosis. The applied dose ranged from 60 to 80 Gy at 6 mm distance of the centre of the Iridium source. In 12/22 patients a clear reduction in the degree of tumor stenosis could be established. Regarding the survival of the patients (8.6 months) results were relatively poor, due to extensive metastases. Patients with a documented dilatation of tumor stenosis showed a low significant longer survival period (12.3 months) than those without detectable response (4.2 months).