The role of radiotherapy for locally advanced gallbladder carcinoma

A retrospective review of 72 patients with locally advanced gallbladder carcinoma, between January 1900 and December 1996, was performed. Survival results and prognostic factors are analyzed for the patients treated with a various modalities. The patients were classified by treatment modality: group 1 included to 27 patients treated with palliative surgery alone, and group 2 for 11 patient treated with palliative surgery and radiotherapy; group 3 for 18 patients not treated by any treatment modality, and group 4 for 16 patients treated with radiotherapy alone. Age distribution ranged from 35 to 80 years with a mean of 63 years. The stage was classified by TNM and Nevin's staging system; all patients had an advanced stage more than III. Palliative surgery was done in 3B patients and adjuvant radiation therapy (Rl1 was followed in 11. For 34 patients, in whom no resection was tried, definitive RT was done in 16. Radiation delivered to tumor site and draining nodes up to 45-612 Gy using 10 MY linear accelerator. Chemotherapy was given to 25 patients with 5-FU based regimens. Median survival time was 10.3 months and 3-year survival rates (3-YSR) were 13.0% in all patients. Survival rates according to the treatment modalities were as followed; in palliative surgery alone, 3-YSR was 2.5%; in palliative surgery and adjuvant RT, 3-YSR was 45.5%; in no treatment group, 3YSR were 8.3%; and definitive RT was 13.1%. It was better survival in additional RT after palliative surgery group than palliative surgery alone (p=0.0009). It was better survival in definitive RT group than no treatment group (p=0.022). Significant prognostic factors by multivariate analysis were treatment modalities, the type of tumor and TNM stage. Significant prognostic factors by multivariate analysis were treatment modalities, the type of tumor and the presence of jaundice. It is suggested that RT could be potentially effective as adjuvant treatment modalities after palliative surgery or primary treatment for locally advanced and unresectable gallbladder carcinoma