Clinical Effect and Safety of Photodynamic Therapy Versus Radiofrequency Ablation Versus Photodynamic Therapy Plus Radiofrequency Ablation for Unresectable Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma
A median survival period of 3 to 6 months is the prognosis for patients with advanced, unresectable EHCC. For patients with locally advanced, unresectable EHCC, effective management of tumor growth is the only option to increase stent patency and survival time. In patients with cholangiocarcinoma, photodynamic therapy (PDT) is therapy that has been shown to improve stent patency and overall survival (OS). Endoscopic radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been demonstrated in numerous studies to prolong the life spans of individuals with malignant biliary obstruction . In the literature, comparing the clinical efficacy and adverse outcomes of these two endoscopic procedures is rare.
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed cholangiocarcinoma;
• unresectable cholangiocarcinoma due to local infiltration of major vessels according to computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), or endoscopic ultrasound（EUS）;
• No previous treatment;
• Adequate bone marrow and organ function (white blood cells\>4.0×109/L, hemoglobin\>90 g/L, and platelets\>75×109/L, serum creatinine\<2.0 mg/dl);
• A Karnofsky performance status (KPS) score ≥ 50;
• Signed written informed consent.