Hepatic arterial infusion for unresectable colorectal liver metastases combined or not with systemic chemotherapy.
BACKGROUND
The hypothesis was tested that systemic chemotherapy might contribute to improving overall survival (OS) of patients with unresectable colorectal liver metastases treated with hepatic arterial infusion (HAI).


METHODS
We considered 153 consecutive patients retrospectively divided into group A (n=72) treated with HAI alone (floxuridine [FUDR] + leucovorin [LV]), and group B (n=81) treated with HAI combined with systemic chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil [5FU] + LV).


RESULTS
No significant difference in OS was observed between the two groups. Median OS was better in patients with <50% of liver involvement (21.3 vs. 13.2 months; p<0.0001) and in responders vs. non-responders (24.4 vs. 13.4 months; p<0.0001). The combination of low tumor load with good tumor response to HAI was the only variable retained on multivariate survival analysis, associated with a better clinical outcome (median OS: 34.2 months).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study does not support the use of FUDR-based HAI combined or not with 5FU-based systemic chemotherapy as the first-line therapeutic approach to unresectable colorectal cancer liver metastases. The identification of responsive patients would improve the therapeutic index of this HAI regimen.
Clinica Chirurgica II, Department of Oncological and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy.
Pierluigi
P
Pilati
Enzo
E
Mammano
Simone
S
Mocellin
Emanuela
E
Tessari
Mario
M
Lise
Donato
D
Nitti
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005467:Floxuridine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006499:Hepatic Artery; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D005467:Floxuridine; D003907:Dexamethasone; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil