[A case of multiple liver metastases from sigmoid carcinoma treated successfully with arterial infusion chemotherapy]

A 63-year-old female, who had undergone sigmoidectomy for sigmoid carcinoma one year before, was admitted for multiple liver metastases. A urokinase-immobilized catheter was introduced into the proper hepatic artery via the gastroepiploic artery operatively. A daily arterial infusion of 5-FU (250 mg) was combined with a weekly arterial infusion of adriamycin (30 mg) or MMC (10 mg). After discharge, 5-FU (200 mg/day) was given orally and MMC (10 mg) was infused intraarterially every other week at an outpatient clinic. ADR or MMC was infused with angiotensin II, known to increase arterial blood supply to a malignant lesion. Ultrasonography demonstrated 35 to 50% reduction in tumor diameter. The density of metastases seen in computerized tomography became low indicating tumor necrosis. Plasma CEA level, which had initially been as high as 864 ng/ml, decreased rapidly and has remained within normal limits up to the present time. Arterial infusion chemotherapy using 5-FU, ADR or MMC in combination with angiotensin II seems to be effective in the treatment of multiple hepatic metastases from colorectal carcinoma.