Arterial chemotherapy as adjuvant and palliative treatment of hepatic colorectal metastases: an update

Loco-regional cancer drug therapy: present approaches and rapidly reversible hydrophobization (RRH) of therapeutic agents as the future direction

Insufficient drug uptake by solid tumors remains the major problem for systemic chemotherapy. Many studies have demonstrated anticancer drug effects to be dose-dependent, although dose-escalation studies have resulted in limited survival benefit with increased systemic toxicities. One solution to this has been the idea of loco-regional drug treatments, which offer dramatically higher drug concentrations in tumor tissues while minimizing systemic toxicity. Although loco-regional delivery has been most prominent in cancers of the liver, soft tissues and serosal peritoneal malignancies, survival benefits are very far from desirable. This review discusses the evolution of loco-regional treatments, the present approaches and offers rapidly reversible hydrophobization of drugs as the new future direction.

Patterns of chemotherapy-induced hepatic injury and their implications for patients undergoing liver resection for colorectal liver metastases

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is increasingly being used to enlarge the cohort of patients who can be offered hepatic resection for malignancy. However, the impact of these agents on the liver parenchyma itself, and their effects on clinical outcomes following hepatic resection remain unclear. This review identifies patterns of regimen-specific chemotherapy-induced hepatic injury and assesses their impact on outcomes following hepatic resection for colorectal liver metastases (CLM).

METHODS

An electronic search was performed using the MEDLINE (US Library of Congress) database from 1966 to May 2007 to identify relevant articles related to chemotherapy-induced hepatic injury and subsequent outcome following hepatic resection.

RESULTS

The use of the combination of 5-flourouracil and leucovorin is linked to the development of hepatic steatosis, and translates into increased postoperative infection rates. A form of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) related to chemotherapy and otherwise known as chemotherapy-associated steatohepatitis (CASH) is closely linked to irinotecan-based therapy and is associated with inferior outcomes following hepatic surgery mainly due to hepatic insufficiency and poor regeneration. Data on sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) following treatment with oxaliplatin are less convincing, but there appears to be an increased risk for intra-operative bleeding and decreased hepatic reserve associated with the presence of SOS. Intra-arterial floxuridine therapy damages the extrahepatic biliary tree in addition to causing parenchymal liver damage, and has been shown to be associated with increased morbidity after hepatic resection.

CONCLUSION

Agent-specific patterns of damage are now being recognized with increasing use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to surgery. The potential benefits and risks of these should be considered on an individual patient basis prior to hepatic resection.

Treatment of locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma by hepatic intra-artery chemotherapy: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

Hepatocarcinoma is one of the most common malignant tumours world-wide with poor prognosis. Treatment of locally advanced hepatocarcinoma is still controversial. Transcatheter arterial (chemo-)embolisation of hepatocarcinoma are widely used methods but some aspects regarding their use and usefulness have not yet been clarified. Systemic remedies have not yet been proven to affect patient survival.

AIMS

To determine if intra-arterial chemotherapy with 5-flurouracil and folinic acid in locally advanced hepatocarcinoma is a viable alternative to existing therapies.

PATIENTS

Twenty-four inoperable consecutive patients with locally advanced hepatocarcinoma were enrolled. They all underwent intra-arterial chemotherapy via a surgically implanted port-a-cath, and folinic acid (100 mg/m2) and 5-flurouracil (up to 550 mg/m2) were administered with a 1-week or a 2-week schedule.

RESULTS

Nineteen patients completed the study: 2 showed a complete positive response, 11 a partial response, 6 stable disease, while 4 showed a disease progression. Median survival time was 19 (range 4-85) months. Child A patients showed a significant longer survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Intra-arterial chemotherapy using folinic acid and 5-flurouracil may be useful in the treatment of locally advanced hepatocarcinoma in cirrhotic patients even in the presence of thrombosis. This treatment could be also useful in comparing transarterial chemoembolisation to a curative treatment.