A CASE OF HEMORRHAGIC LOWER BILE DUCT CANCER IN WHICH ANEMIA COULD BE TREATED BY PALLIATIVE RADIOTHERAPY

Abstract

An 80-year-old man with unresectable lower bile duct cancer was followed up after placement of an indwelling biliary plastic stent. The patient had developed severe anemia even though he was being treated with repeated blood transfusions for chronic anemia. Endoscopy revealed invasion of bile duct cancer to the papilla of Vater and hemorrhage from the surface of the bile duct cancer. Radiation therapy was able to control the anemia and reduce the number of blood transfusions. Palliative radiotherapy may improve the quality of life by anemia control in patients with hemorrhagic lower bile duct cancer.