Regional Chemotherapy for Colorectal Liver Metastases: A Retrospective Study

From 1970 to 1987, a total of 112 patients underwent regional chemotherapy as primary treatment of colorectal liver metastases. 68 patients received 250-750 mg 5-FU 2-3 times per week via external devices, 40 patients with port catheters had 5-day courses of Mitomycin C (8 mg/m2/day 1) and 5-FU (600 mg/m2/day 1-5) at 4 week intervals, and four patients were treated with FUDR (0.2 mg/m2/day 1-14/28) using an Infusaid pump. Median and maximum survival were 13.2 and 58 months, respectively. The overall response rate in patients suitable to imaging criteria who underwent treatment for more than three months was 83% (CR 14%, PR 40%, SD 29%). The influence of various factors on Kaplan/Meier survival was checked the Logrank test. Response to treatment was of superior importance (p = 0.0000016), but hepatomegaly, Karnofski index, the percentage of liver volume replaced by tumour, and various liver related biochemical tests were also highly significant prognostic determinants (p greater than 0.01). There was no difference between external and fully implantable devices. A subgroup of 68 patients without extrahepatic disease, treatment of more than three months was retrospectively compared to 121 untreated patients with a similar stage of disease. There was no obvious effect of regional chemotherapy on survival (p = 0.16). Although the untreated patients consist a historical control group only, this result indicates that regional chemotherapy must continuously be restricted to well prospective clinical trials.