DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed cholangiocarcinoma
• Stage III or IV disease
• Bismuth type III or IV disease
• Tumor mass or stricture on cholangiogram and CT scan
• Unresectable disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Performance status

• Karnofsky 30-100%

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

• WBC ≥ 2,000/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 50,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL
• Hematocrit ≥ 27%

Hepatic

• PT or INR ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (correctable with vitamin K)
• No decompensated cirrhosis

Renal

• Not specified

Other

• Not pregnant
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No known porphyria or hypersensitivity to porphyrin
• No clinically significant acute or chronic medial or psychological illness that would preclude study treatment
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or basal cell skin cancer
• No concurrent untreated primary diagnosis of anxiety or depression

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Chemotherapy

• More than 13 weeks since prior and no concurrent chemotherapy

Radiotherapy

• More than 13 weeks since prior and no concurrent brachytherapy or radiotherapy

Surgery

• No prior metal stent insertion
• No prior surgical resection of cholangiocarcinoma

Other

• No prior photodynamic therapy for this disease
• More than 60 days since prior investigational drugs
• No concurrent administration of the following:
• Ursodiol
• Herbal products that may increase bile flow, including any of the following:
• Andrographis paniculata
• Chelidonium majus L
• Curcumin L
• Cynara scolymus L (artichoke)
• Gentiana lutea
• Mentha x piperita (peppermint)
• Peumus boldus Mol
• Taraxacum officinale (dandelion)
• No administration of any of the following within 7 days of porfimer sodium injection:
• Supplements in vitamins C, E, and β-carotene
• Camellia sinensis (green tea)
• Silymarin
• EGb761