Efficacy and Safety Study of PDT Using Photofrin in Unresectable Advanced Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma (OPUS)

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a combination of a drug, porfimer sodium (Photofrin), which is activated by a light from a laser that emits no heat. This technique works to allow the medical doctor to specifically target and destroy abnormal or cancer cells while limiting damage to surrounding healthy tissue. The activation of the drug is done by lighting the abnormal areas using a fiber optic device (very fine fiber like a fishing line that permits light transmission) inserted into a flexible tube with a light called cholangioscope for the bile duct. The light will activate the porfimer sodium concentrated in the abnormal tissue, leading to its destruction. Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is defined as primary malignant tumors of the bile ducts. The exact etiology remains unknown. These cancerous tumors block the bile flow and can be intrahepatic (IH) or extrahepatic (EH). The distinction between IH- and EH-CCA has become increasingly important, as the epidemiological features (i.e., incidence and risk factors), the biologic and pathologic characteristics and the clinical course are largely different. Unfortunately, most subjects are found to have metastases or unresectable disease at the time of diagnosis. Median survival for subjects with unresectable perihilar-CCA varies between five and eight months. The one-year survival is 50%, with 20% surviving at two years and 10% at three years. Unresected CCA is a rapidly fatal process with cholangitis being a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in these subjects. This study was designed to confirm the efficacy of PHOPDT + standard medical care (SMC) defined as stents plus gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy regimen on the overall survival of subjects with unresectable cholestasis perihilar Bismuth type III or IV - tumor TNM stage III or IVa CCA.