[Importance of locoregional chemotherapy by anthracyclines]

With loco-regional chemotherapy high local concentration of antineoplastic products can be achieved without systemic toxicity. However local toxicity and technical problems are frequent and limit its use. Intra arterial chemotherapy (IAC) is interesting when the drugs used have a high total body clearance. One of the best indication of IAC is the intra-hepatic chemotherapy with anthracyclin for hepatocellularcarcinoma (40-60% objective response) and metastatic carcinoid. Among other IAC the IA limbs perfusions for soft tissue sarcoma have given interesting results. Chemoembolization with lipiodol and/or gelfoam mixed with anthracyclin is an interesting field of investigation in liver tumor and metastases. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy is used essentially for peritoneal carcinomatosis from ovarian origin and gives some positive results. However, intra peritoneal Adriamycin is not well tolerated and other anthracyclines are to be investigated.