Hepatic Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy (HIAC) of High Dose Mitomycin and Epirubicin Combined with Caval Chemofiltration Versus Prolonged Low Doses in Liver Metastases from Colorectal Cancer: a Prospective Randomized Clinical Study

Summary

A multicenter randomized study comparing high dose of mitomycin and epirubicin given as hepatic intra-arterial chemotherapy (HIAC) combined with caval chemofiltration (CF) versus low doses of the same drugs in unresectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer showed a significant improvement in the survival rate of the 20 patients treated with high dose compared to the 22 patients treated with low doses with a 1 year survival of 69% vs 39%. The median survival was 17 vs 11 months and the responses were 65% vs 33%. Toxicity was colangitis in 50% of patients considered. The extrahepatic progression was similar in the two groups (7/20 vs 8/22).

Keyword:

• Intra-arterial chemotherapy
• chemofiltration
• liver metastases