Superselective continuous arterial infusion chemotherapy through the superficial temporal artery for oral cavity tumors.
OBJECTIVE
High-dose intraarterial chemotherapy with repeated one-shot infusion may be useful for treating head and neck tumors. We evaluated the efficacy of superselective continuous arterial infusion chemotherapy administered via a coaxial catheter system and compared the results with those of subselective catheterization for treatment of oral cavity tumors.


METHODS
Forty-nine consecutive patients with tumors of the oral cavity (clinical stage I, 12 cases; stage II, 19 cases; stage III, six cases; stage IV, 12 cases) were treated by arterial infusion chemotherapy. After a guiding catheter was advanced into the superficial temporal artery, superselective catheterization was performed using a coaxial system microcatheter. Superselective catheterization was accomplished in 34 cases, and was unsuccessful in 15, owing to difficulties in performing catheterization or to multiple feeding arteries. In the latter cases, the tip of the catheter was placed near the origin of the feeding arteries (subselective catheterization).


RESULTS
Thirty (88%) of 34 patients had a complete response to superselective arterial infusion chemotherapy and two (6%) had a partial response. Twelve (80%) of 15 patients had a complete response to subselective arterial infusion chemotherapy and three (20%) had a partial response. Local recurrence was more frequent after subselective treatment (13%) than after superselective (6%) treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Superselective continuous arterial infusion chemotherapy may be suitable for local control of oral cavity tumors, with a low rate of recurrence.
Nakasato
T
T
Department of Radiology, Iwate Medical University School of Medicine, Morioka, Japan.
Katoh
K
K
Sone
M
M
Ehara
S
S
Tamakawa
Y
Y
Hoshi
H
H
Sekiyama
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002404:Catheterization; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015996:Survival Rate; D013699:Temporal Arteries; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001761:Bleomycin; D002945:Cisplatin; D008727:Methotrexate