Background & objective: Although previous studies showed that hepatic artery chemoembolization or continuous intravenous with infusion chemotherapeutic agent can improve the effects of the treatment of liver metastases from colorectal cancer, the results remained unsatisfactory because of the lower concentration of local chemotherapeutic agent. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of continuous hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy and chemoembolization for the treatment of liver metastases from colorectal cancer.
Methods: A total of 26 patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer were treated 93 times by continued hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy and chemoembolization. Infusion chemotherapy alone was performed 42 times, and infusion chemotherapy combined with chemoembolization were 51 times. Chemotherapeutic agents used were Adriamycin 30 mg/m2 d1, Mitomycin 6 mg/m2 d1, Cisplatin 80 mg/m2 d1, or Etoposide 60 mg/m2 d1-3, Calcium folinate 200 mg/m2, d1-3, and Fluorouracil 2,500 mg/m2. Adriamycin and Mitomycin were mixed with lipiodol ultra-fluid for chemoembolization. Response rates were assessed by CT and B ultrasonic wave scanning.
Results: An overall response rate [CR + PR] of the cases was 57.69%. The median survival period was 11.5 months. The 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 5-year survival rate was 92.31%, 76.92%, 38.46%, 23.07%, and 3.85%, respectively. There was no severe side effect or complication.
Conclusion: Continuous transcatheter hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy and chemoembolization are useful methods for the treatment of the patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer, which may the life quality and life span of the patients.