title: Intraperitoneal 5-fluorouracil in the management of colorectal liver cancer.
abstract: Twenty-five patients with colorectal liver metastases had a subcutaneous portal connection with a peritoneal catheter implanted for the intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). In five patients, the malignant disease rapidly progressed and the implanted catheter system was never used. Among the remaining 20 patients, seven patients had i.p. 5-FU as adjuvant treatment following liver resection and 13 patients received palliative chemotherapy (5-FU) owing to unresectable liver metastases. 5-FU was administered on a regular basis every 4 to 6 weeks by continuous infusion of 1000 mg/day (approximately 15 mg/kg/day) for 5 days. In seven patients, i.p. chemotherapy was managed on an outpatient basis. In general, i.p. 5-FU treatment was well tolerated with only minor abdominal complaints during the initial treatments. No definite effect on survival has been noted. All patients (n = 13) receiving palliative i.p. 5-FU died after a median of 4 (range 1.5-18) months. Two patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy died owing to recurrence after 20 and 23 months, while five patients are alive, two with recurrent disease and three without, after 14-35 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Holmberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D015918:Infusion Pumps, Implantable; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity
chemical_list: D005472:Fluorouracil