Transcatheter treatment of hepatic metastases.
After successful removal of a primary tumor, the exclusive or dominant site of metastatic spread is often the liver. Existing palliative treatments, particularly chemotherapy, have low success rates. Fortuitous physiologic circumstances allow the use of regional treatments, such as hepatic artery infusion therapy, for both primary and secondary malignant tumors in the liver. Despite encouraging results in early uncontrolled trials, subsequent randomized studies have failed to show survival benefit with regional infusion therapy via surgically implanted pumps in patients who have colorectal metastases, the most common tumor studied. Dissatisfaction with current treatments has led to a host of novel therapies, including embolization of liver tumors and the combined infusion of embolic particles and chemotherapeutic agents (i.e., chemoembolization).
Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104.
M J
MJ
Pentecost
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001079:Apudoma / Q000628:therapy; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000628:therapy*; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D006499:Hepatic Artery; D006801:Humans; D015918:Infusion Pumps, Implantable; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy*; D011169:Portal Vein
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents