We assessed the role of interventional radiological procedures used in the treatment of patients with hepatopancreatobiliary cancer complicated by obstructive jaundice. Between 1990 and 2000, 71 patients underwent percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD): external drainage--18 (group A); external-internal drainage or stenting (group B), and external-internal drainage or stenting plus chemoinfusion or chemoembolization of the hepatic artery--15 (group C). Mean survival (M(SD) calculated for patients who died was 2.1(0.5 mo for group A; (pb,c(0.01), 7.9(6.7 mo (group B), and 16.6(14.8 mo for group C (NS with B). The actual one-year survival was 10, 25, and 45%, respectively. External-internal PTBD and stenting are safe effective palliative procedures for patients with malignant obstructive jaundice. Survival in patients with hepatopancreatobiliary cancer doubled after chemoinfusion or chemoembolization, without grave complications or lethality.