Table 1.
Patient and treatment characteristics (n = 20)
| Age | Years, median (range) | 62 (44–79) |
| Sex, n (%) | Male | 12 (60) |
| ECOG PS, n (%) | 0 | 1 (5) |
| 1 | 4 (20) | |
| 2 | 8 (40) | |
| 3 | 5 (25) | |
| 4 | 2 (10) | |
| Palliative prognostic index score, n (%) | < 4 points | 6 (30) |
| 4–6 points | 8 (40) | |
| > 6 points | 6 (30) | |
| Location, n (%) | Head | 12 (60) |
| Body or tail | 8 (40) | |
| Extent of disease, n (%) | Locally advanced | 3 (15) |
| Metastatic | 17 (85) | |
| Histopathology, n (%) | Adenocarcinoma | 18 (90) |
| Anaplastic carcinoma | 1 (5) | |
| Adenosquamous carcinoma | 1 (5) | |
| Initial symptom, n (%) | Tarry stool | 10 (50) |
| Hematochezia | 3 (15) | |
| Hematemesis | 2 (10) | |
| Abdominal pain | 1 (5) | |
| Dizziness | 1 (5) | |
| Fatigue | 1 (5) | |
| Syncope | 1 (5) | |
| None (incidentally endoscopically) | 1 (5) | |
| Bleeding site, n (%) | Duodenum | 13 (65) |
| Stomach | 6 (30) | |
| Main pancreatic duct | 1 (5) | |
| Previous treatment, n (%) | Systemic chemotherapy | 10 (50) |
| None | 10 (50) | |
| Previous bleeding management, n (%) | None | 17 (85) |
| Duodenal stent | 2 (10) | |
| Endoscopic injection of HSE | 1 (5) | |
| Previous biliary or duodenal stenting, n (%) | Biliary SEMS | 8 (40) |
| Biliary and duodenal SEMS | 2 (10) | |
| Biliary plastic stent | 1 (5) | |
| None | 9 (45) | |
| Radiation schedule, n (%) | 8 Gy in a single fraction | 2 (10) |
| 20 Gy in 5 fractions | 14 (70) | |
| 30 Gy in 10 fractions | 4 (20) | |
| Completion of PRT, n (%) | Yes | 20 (100) |
ECOG PS Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, HSE hypertonic saline epinephrine solution, SEMS self-expandable metallic stent, Gy gray, PRT palliative radiotherapy