Table 2. This table summarizes the outcomes compared to stents alone, adverse effects, and practical considerations to take into account prior to application.
Therapy | PDT | RFA | IB |
---|---|---|---|
Outcomes compared to stent alone | Longer survival | Improved survival | Lower stent occlusion rate |
Improves biliary drainage | Improved stent patency | Prolonged mean survival | |
Better quality of life | Improved stricture diameter | ||
Improvement in performance status | |||
Longer stent patency | |||
Adverse effects | Phototoxicity | Abdominal pain | Biliary obstruction |
Erythema | Cholangitis | Cholangitis | |
Pruritus | Acute cholecystitis | Hemobilia | |
Blistering | Pancreatitis | Gastrointestinal bleeding | |
Pain | Liver infarction | Duodenal stenosis | |
Biliary obstruction | Hepatic | ||
Pseudoaneurysm Hemobilia | |||
Practical considerations | Expensive | May require more than 1 session | Radioactive material |
Three-day interval between photosensitizer administration and photoactivation | Low energy settings in intrahepatics | Short half life | |
750 sec per application | Challenges in handling, storing, delivering substances |
PDT, photodynamic therapy; RFA, radiofrequency ablation; IB, intraluminal brachytherapy.