[Intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy of advanced bladder cancer]

Three patients with locally advanced bladder cancer were given intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy. The treatment regimen was epirubicin, 30 mg/m2 days 1-2; cisplatin, 50 mg/m2 IA days 1-2; and etoposide, 100 mg/m2 IV days 3-5, repeated every 21 days. The tip of the catheter was inserted through the femoral artery into the common iliac artery and we compressed both femoral arteries during infusion. The patients were evaluated for the clinical and pathological efficacy of the treatment. Clinically (according to Japanese response criteria for urological cancer treatment), the efficacy of all patients was CR and pathologically (according to Shimosato's response criteria), the efficacy was two in Grade IV b, and one in Grade II b. Myelosuppression was the major toxicity. Other toxicities were mild. There were no treatment-related deaths. These results suggest that this treatment is effective and well tolerated in advanced bladder cancer.