Other Therapies

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy in combination with chemotherapy is an option in selected cases of pancreatic cancer.

Palliative radiation is helpful in managing liver pain, whether primary or metastatic.

Particle beam radiation therapy is under evaluation for pancreatic cancers, as is intraoperative radiation therapy.

The use of radiation sensitizers to improve the results of radiation therapy is under clinical evaluation for extrahepatic bile duct cancers.

Hepatic artery infusion regional perfusion of liver by means of a chemotherapy pump that provides a continuous flow of drug into the liver. Agents used include:

Chemotherapy is not useful for gallbladder cancers.

(not shown to be effective for pancreatic or biliary tract cancers)

(under clinical evaluation)