OUTLINE: Patients are stratified according to tumor location (proximal vs distal). Patients receive porfimer sodium IV over 3-5 minutes on day 1, followed by percutaneous or endoscopic laser light treatment on day 3. Patients achieving partial response or complete response accompanied by an increase in total bilirubin or cholangitis may repeat treatment for a maximum of 3 courses. Patients are followed weekly for 1 month, and then monthly for 1 year.