Treatment Outcome of Palliative Chemotherapy in Inoperable Cholangiocarcinoma in Thailand

Background: Cholangiocarcinoma is the most common cancer in males in Thailand. The outcome is pooralthough systemic chemotherapy has been used in attempts to improve disease control, quality of life andprolong survival in patient with unresectable and advanced disease. Materials and
Methods: In this retrospectivestudy the medical records of all patients diagnosed as having unresectable and metastatic cholangiocarcinomaand receiving systemic chemotherapy at Udonthani Cancer Hospital during January 2007 to December 2010were reviewed.
Results: Among the total of 105 patients, 21 received gemcitabine-based chemotherapy and 845FU-based chemotherapy. Most received platinum doublet regimens. 5FU-based regimens yielded an overallresponse rate (tumor control) of 23.8% and a median survival of 7.2 months while gemcitabine-based regimensyielded an overall response rate (tumor control) 19.1% and a median survival of 10.0 months.
Conclusions:Tumor control and survival of patient with advanced cholangiocarcinoma treated with gemcitabine-based and5FU-based chemotherapy do not markedly differ.