Radiologically placed hepatic artery catheter allows selection of patients with high-volume liver metastases for regional chemotherapy.
Regional chemotherapy has achieved high response rates in hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer and has been shown to improve survival significantly. The present paper reports the use of pre-operative regional therapy to establish marker response as a means of selection of patients for surgery. Fourteen patients underwent radiologically placed hepatic artery catheter (HAC) for chemotherapy. In the 11 patients with carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) fall the patient proceeded to open surgical placement of HAC. The predictive effect of CEA fall following radiological HAC was good. Non-responding patients are clearly spared the discomfort and inconvenience and costs of an unnecessary operation.
Zhao
J
J
University of New South Wales Department of Surgery, Australia.
Clingan
P R
PR
Glenn
D
D
Morris
D L
DL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006499:Hepatic Artery; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D015996:Survival Rate
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D005472:Fluorouracil