Intrahepatic or systemic infusion of fluorodeoxyuridine in patients with liver metastases from colorectal carcinoma. A randomized trial

Ann Intern Med. 1987 Oct;107(4):459-65. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-107-4-459.

Abstract

Objective: To compare the efficacy of direct hepatic arterial chemotherapy with systemic chemotherapy in patients with liver metastases from colorectal carcinoma.

Design: Randomized trial with crossover allowed from systemic to intrahepatic therapy if tumor progression occurred on systemic therapy.

Setting: Academic medical center, referral-based clinic.

Patients: One hundred sixty-two patients with hepatic metastases from colorectal carcinoma agreed to be randomly assigned to treatment groups. At laparotomy, 63 were excluded from the study: 25 had hepatic resection; 33, extrahepatic disease; 1, infection; and 4, no tumor.

Intervention: Fourteen-day continuous infusion of fluorodeoxyuridine each month using an infusaid pump (0.3 and 0.15 mg/kg body weight X d in the intrahepatic and systemic arms, respectively).

Main results: Intrahepatic therapy produced a significantly higher complete and partial response rate, 50%, compared with 20% for systemic therapy (p = 0.001). After tumor progression, 60% of the systemic patients crossed over to intrahepatic therapy; 25% then had a partial response, and 33% a minor response or stabilization of disease on intrahepatic therapy. Toxicity included ulcer disease (17%) and biliary sclerosis (8%) in patients receiving intrahepatic therapy and diarrhea (70%) in patients receiving systemic therapy. Extrahepatic disease occurred in 56% and 37% of the patients in the intrahepatic and systemic groups, respectively (p = 0.092). The median survivals were 17 and 12 months, for the intrahepatic and systemic groups, respectively.

Conclusion: When compared with systemic therapy, hepatic arterial chemotherapy significantly increases response rate for hepatic metastases from colorectal carcinoma and appears to be a more effective treatment.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / drug therapy*
  • Adenocarcinoma / secondary
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Carcinoembryonic Antigen / analysis
  • Colonic Neoplasms
  • Female
  • Floxuridine / administration & dosage*
  • Floxuridine / adverse effects
  • Hepatic Artery
  • Humans
  • Infusion Pumps
  • Infusions, Intra-Arterial
  • Infusions, Intravenous
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Liver Neoplasms / secondary
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Random Allocation
  • Rectal Neoplasms

Substances

  • Carcinoembryonic Antigen
  • Floxuridine