[Intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer--5 cases of marked response]

In order to obtain less severe toxic reactions, while attaining maximal therapeutic effects, CPA, 5-FU and ADM or EPI have been administered through the catheter inserted into the internal thoracic artery with the IVR technique and the implantable infusion port system. Of the 181 patients with the unresectable or recurrent breast cancers attempted with intra- arterial infusion chemotherapy for the past 19 years, more than half of the patients showed a good response to this modality of the chemotherapy. In 4 out of the 5 patients with unresectable breast cancer, radical mastectomy became feasible following the marked response with the intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy. However, a distant metastasis proved to be a limiting factor for improvement of survival.