[Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy for liver metastasis from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma]

Since 1993, we have treated 9 patients with liver metastases from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma using hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAI). These patients underwent esophagectomy and reconstruction with a stomach roll, and without preoperative chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, HAI was effective in 5 patients (56%) with a CR in 2 patients. Preceding systemic chemotherapy was done with 7 patients, and was effective in 3 of them. HAI was also effective in all of them. In 3 patients with hepatic arterial anomalies, the right gastroepiploic artery and right gastric artery feeding the stomach roll could be preserved after changing the hepatic arterial flow. Two stomach roll ulcers and one hepatic arterial stenosis were experienced due to the toxicity of HAI. However, the nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or myelosuppression seen with the preceding systemic chemotherapy were not experienced. In spite of the technical difficulties in catheterization and toxicities to stomach roll, HAI is considered to be more effective and feasible than systemic chemotherapy.