Aims and background: The advantage of delivering chemotherapy by hepatic arterial infusion is the acquisition of a high concentration of the drug in the target. Irinotecan (CPT-11) is active for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. In phase I studies, doses of 20 mg/m2/d for 5 days given every 4 weeks as continuous infusion or 200 mg/m2 as a short 30-min infusion given every 3 weeks is recommended for phase II studies.
Methods and study design: Twelve patients with a median liver substitution of 30% (20-50%) were enrolled, 6 progressed after a FOLFOX-induced partial response and 6 progressed after 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid. All patients had a surgically (n = 6) or angiographically placed port (n = 6). They received hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy with CPT-11 (200 mg/m2) on an out-patient basis, every 3 weeks as a short 30-min infusion for six cycles.
Results: Four partial responses were observed (33%) lasting 24, 15, 12 and 8+ weeks, 3 stable disease (25%) lasting more than 12 weeks, and 5 progressions (41%). Six patients (50%) presented a >30% reduction in CEA. Toxicity was G2 diarrhea in 5 patients (41%) and G2 myelosuppression in 6 (50%); one patient had abdominal right upper quadrant pain requiring analgesics.
Conclusions: CPT-11 is active as hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy in liver metastases from colorectal cancer and can rescue systemically pretreated patients. Our schedule seems safe, feasible and well accepted on an out-patient basis.