ERCP vs. Percutaneous Biliary Drainage in Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer

ERCP was associated with longer survival, though the difference was small.

Many patients with pancreatic cancer develop jaundice at some point in their clinical course. The two most common approaches to treating biliary obstruction in these patients are endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) drainage. In a recent retrospective cohort study, investigators examined survival among patients with pancreatic cancer undergoing ERCP versus PTBD for malignant biliary obstruction.

Using U.S. cancer surveillance and Medicare databases, researchers identified 14,808 patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer, among whom 8,898 underwent biliary drainage — 8271 (93%) via ERCP and 623 (7%) via PTBD. ERCP recipients survived a mean of 7.4 months compared with 5…

Reviewing Author

Douglas G. Adler, MD, FACG, AGAF, FASGE

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardBSC; Merit; Olympus

Speaker’s BureauAbbVie

Editorial BoardsGastrointestinal Endoscopy

Douglas G. Adler, MD, FACG, AGAF, FASGE

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardBSC; Merit; Olympus

Speaker’s BureauAbbVie

Editorial BoardsGastrointestinal Endoscopy

ERCP vs. Percutaneous Biliary Drainage in Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer

Topics

Reviewing Author