[Intra-arterial chemotherapy in locally advanced breast carcinomas]

Transcatheter arterial chemotherapy with mitoxantrone was carried out in 9 patients suffering from advanced breast cancer. The anticancer agent was selectively injected in the internal mammary artery. In 2 cases the catheter was super-selectively advanced into a peripheral branch of the internal mammary artery supplying the breast carcinoma. No complication of the transcatheter treatment could be observed. CT examinations for controlling the catheter position showed perfusion of breast cancers between 40 and 90 per cent. Histological examinations of the 7 resected specimens revealed extensive necrosis in all cases. All 7 patients who underwent surgery have been without local recurrence for 3 to 12 months after treatment.