With the Klatskin tumor diagnosis it is necessary to start treatment without delay because the tumor is prone to rapid growth and metastasizing, destroying the inner tissues of the liver and nearby lymph nodes. If the bile duct cancer is neglected, the chances of a favorable outcome are reduced significantly. Let’s look at the options for bile duct tumors treatment.
Surgical options
The primary strategy for the surgical treatment for patients with Klatskin tumors is a combined tumor resection and liver resection. Obviously, this is a radical approach, which positively influences the overall survival. However, in some cases, the results of minimally invasive and radical procedures are pretty similar, with the only difference in the extent of damage to the body.
Not always, but in most cases, minimally invasive surgeries are possible to treat bile duct cancer. Depending on the characteristics of the tumor and the stage of the disease, the following types of surgical procedures are performed:
- Bile duct dissection involves removal of the tumor itself and the surrounding tissues, after which anastomosis is created. Surgery is only possible with a small tumor at an early stage of development, which is an infrequent case because of the lack of timely diagnosis making.
- Lobectomy of the liver, that involves the removal of the affected part of the organ if a malignant process spreads to the liver.
- Whipple’s procedure, that involves lobectomy of the liver in combination with partial resection of the gallbladder and bile-excretory ducts, is carried out in the presence of indications.
Conventional therapeutic options
When it comes to conventional treatment, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are thought to be the most common methods. However, none of the chemotherapeutic agents has convincingly proven effectiveness against Klatskin tumors. Studies have also demonstrated no positive effect of adjuvant radiation therapy after surgery. However, alternative methods of conventional therapy, including photodynamic therapy, embolization, and targeted therapy, have demonstrated promising results. So, what do these treatments do exactly?
Photodynamic therapy is a technique based on destroying pathological tissues by light. Before the procedure, a patient receives an injection of a photosensitizer that accumulates in the malignant cells, making them more sensitive to the light.
During embolization, tumor blood vessels are occluded by microspheres. The consequent interruption of tumor blood supply causes a lack of oxygen and nutrients in the malignant cells.
Innovative targeted therapy also demonstrates positive results even in the most severe clinical cases. Therapy is based on drugs that attack abnormal cells without damaging normal ones. For Klatskin tumor treatment, targeted drugs that belong to the group of tumor angiogenesis inhibitors are used.
Feel free to check out more information about other Klatskin tumor treatment options on the Booking Health website.
How to start Klatskin tumor treatment during a lockdown?
Most of the advanced Klatskin tumor treatment options are practiced in the best clinics in the world, meaning that you might not be able to access sparing and innovative techniques for bile duct cancer treatment in your local medical facilities. You don’t need to feel down about that since treatment abroad is not as expensive and impossible during the COVID-19 pandemic as you might think.
Particular companies help patients find a medical facility, contact the best doctors of the appropriate profile, book airline tickets, accommodation, and resolve all questions with the documents.
Booking Health is one of the most reputable medical tourism companies globally. It is ready to provide you with the necessary services for treating Klatskin tumors abroad. The company cooperates with the best clinics in the world and helps you choose the right one for your clinical case. With Booking Health you don’t need to worry about anything, as coordinators take care of the whole process of arranging the treatment abroad.
If you feel like it is something you are interested in, visit the Booking Health website and fill in the request form for a medical advisor to contact you.