Interstitial iodine- 125 implant in the management of unresectable pancreatic carcinoma

Abstract

Eighteen patients with locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the head, body and tail of the pancreas were treated by a combination of biliary bypass, external and interstitial irradiation at Southern California Cancer Center of California Hospital Medical Center, Los Angeles, and Memorial Hospital Medical Center of Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, from July 31, 1975 to December 31, 1980. A dose of 3000 to 5000 rad was delivered to the pancreas and regional lymph nodes by external irradiation utilizing megavoltage units and 10,000 to 15,000 rad to the pancreas and metastatic lymph nodes by permanent Iodine-125 implants. In this group of 18 patients with unresectable carcinoma of the pancreas, excellent palliation of pain, jaundice and vomiting was achieved, with a median survival of 14 months.