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Palliative hepatic intraarterial chemotherapy (HIC) using a novel combination of gemcitabine and mitomycin C: results in hepatic metastases

  • Hepatobiliary-Pancreas
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Abstract

To evaluate repeated hepatic intraarterial chemotherapy (HIC) as a palliative treatment option for unresectable cholangiocarcinoma and liver metastases of various origins that were progressive under systemic chemotherapy. Between 2002 and 2006, 55 patients were treated in 4-week intervals (mean five sessions). Combined gemcitabine/mitomycin was administered intraarterially within 1 h. Tumor response was evaluated after the third session according to RECIST. Treated tumor entities were colorectal carcinoma (CRC) (n = 12), breast cancer (BC) (n = 12), cholangiocarcinoma (CCC) (n = 10), pancreatic (n = 4), ovarian (n = 3), gastric, cervical, papillary (each n = 2), prostate, esophageal carcinoma, leiomyosarcoma (each n = 1), cancer of unknown primacy (CUP) (n = 5). All patients tolerated the treatment well without any major side effects or complications. In total, there were 1 complete response (CR), 19 partial responses (PR), 19 stable (SD) and 16 progressive diseases (PD). We observed 5 PR, 3 SD and 4 PD in CRC; 1 CR, 4 PR, 6 SD in BC; and 2 PR, 2 SD and 6 PD in CCC. Median survival after first HIC was 9.7 months for CRC, 11.4 months for BC and 6.0 months for CCC. HIC with gemcitabine/mitomycin is a safe, minimally invasive, palliative treatment for hepatic metastases that are progressive under systemic chemotherapy. The treatment yields respectable tumor control rates in CRC and BC patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Clinic, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Thomas J. Vogl, Stephan Zangos, Katrin Eichler & Ralf W. Bauer

  2. Institute of Radiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA

    J. Bayne Selby

  3. Institut für Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie, Klinikum der Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Thomas J. Vogl

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  1. Thomas J. Vogl
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  4. J. Bayne Selby
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Correspondence to Thomas J. Vogl.

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Vogl, T.J., Zangos, S., Eichler, K. et al. Palliative hepatic intraarterial chemotherapy (HIC) using a novel combination of gemcitabine and mitomycin C: results in hepatic metastases. Eur Radiol 18, 468–476 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-007-0781-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-007-0781-0

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