Long-term outcome in patients with advanced Klatskin-Tumors undergoing operative and/or endoscopic therapy

Aims: Because of the late presentation of symptoms, hilar cholangiocellular carcinomas are usually diagnosed in later stages and in general therapy concept can not be curative. Palliative treatment strategies include endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography, percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage or surgery. Patients and methods: 96 consecutive patients underwent treatment for malignant hilar bile duct tumors during a period of 11 years. To assess prognostic factors and clinical outcome the patients were reviewed retrospectively. Results: 76/96 patients were treated only by endoscopic procedures using…