Abstract:Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of endoscopic photodynamic therapy (PDT) combined with biliary stent placement for obstructive jaundice in unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Methods Clinical data of a total of 43 patients with obstructive jaundice in unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (40 cases) and Tongling Municipal Hospital (3 cases) from January 2020 to January 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into the stent group (n=23, endoscopic biliary stent placement) and the combination group (n=20, endoscopic PDT combined with biliary stent placement). The bilirubin decline, stent patency time, postoperative Karnofsky performance score (KPS), complications and prognosis data of the two groups were compared. Cox regression multivariate analysis was used to explore the influencing factors for survival of the patients. Results There was no significant difference in general data between the two groups (P>0.05). The stent patency time in the combination group was 204.53 days (95%CI: 143.75-265.32 days), which was longer than that in the stent group (138.36 days, 95%CI: 95.38-181.34 days), with no significant difference (P=0.091). Median bilirubin decreases in the stent group and the combination group were 30.10 μmol/L and 9.40 μmol/L, respectively, with no significant difference (Z=-0.243, P=0.808) at 1 week after surgery. There was no significant difference in KPS at 1 month (69.09±12.69 VS 73.16±13.36, t=-0.999, P=0.324) and 3 months after the surgery (67.14±9.94 VS 70.67±10.33, t=-0.935, P=0.358) in the stent group and the combination group. The overall survival time of the combination group was 267.38 days (95%CI: 186.93‑347.83 days), significantly longer than that of the stent group (140.41 days, 95%CI: 97.38‑183.45 days) (P=0.017). The Cox regression multivariate analysis showed that endoscopic PDT combined with biliary stent placement was an independent protective factor for survival (HR=0.457, 95%CI:0.212‑0.986, P=0.046). Conclusion Endoscopic PDT combined with biliary stent placement could effectively relieve obstructive jaundice, improve quality of life and ultimately prolong the survival time of unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma patients.