[Regional therapy of isolated liver metastases from breast cancer]

Because of the high rate of response in colorectal liver metastases, intra-arterial chemotherapy was studied in 14 patients with isolated breast cancer liver metastases. After extrahepatic metastasization had been ruled out, a catheter was placed surgically and connected to a cytostatic pump (in two cases) or to a subcutaneous infusion chamber (in 12 cases). Every four to six weeks, the patients with an infusion chamber received a modified FAM treatment (fluorouracil, doxorubicin, mitomycin C) for three days continuously. In 11 out of 14 patients (79%) a clear tumor reduction was observed (duration of remission 11 months). In an average of six cycles of chemotherapy administered, a total of 50% of the patients manifested local side effects (including two cases of toxic hepatitis, one case of biliary sclerosis). Systemic side effects were negligible. Termination of therapy was necessitated by three catheter tip migrations and two thromboses of the hepatic artery. Extrahepatic metastases occurred in six patients. Here, the average latency period between diagnosis of the primary tumor and that of liver metastasis was significantly shorter (x = 9 months) than in the other patients (x = 39 months). Intra-arterial chemotherapy thus represents a therapeutic method which, although complicated, is extremely effective in selected patients with isolated breast cancer liver metastases. A final evaluation must be subject to a randomized comparison with a systemic therapy.