[Intra-arterial continuous infusion in patients with advanced and recurrent cancer of the digestive system]

Intra-arterial continuous infusion of antineoplastic agents was carried out for 90 patients with cancer of the digestive system at our clinic during the past 16 years. These patients had inoperable, advanced or recurrent tumors in various organs: stomach, colorectum, liver, pancreas and others. 5-fluorouracil, mitomycin C, adriamycin and others were infused, singly or in combination, into the aorta (81 patients), or iliac (3) and hepatic (6) artery over periods varying from 2 to 197 days. Partial response was revealed in 41% of the overall patients, no change in 28% and progressive disease in 31%. There were significant differences in anti-tumor effects and survival curves between terminal and non-terminal patients, or between patients with and without long-term infusion (p less than 0.05-0.005). These results suggest that the performance status of patients and the infusion period both influence the anti-tumor or long-survival effect obtained by this therapy.