Intra-arterial infusion with methotrexate in the rat

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology
• Surgical Oncology

Background:

• The optimal administration route for methotrexate (MTX) in treating head and neck tumors remains debated.
• Systemic MTX administration can lead to significant toxicity.
• Developing effective intra-arterial delivery methods is crucial for localized cancer treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of intra-arterial methotrexate (MTX) infusion compared to systemic administration for head and neck tumors.
• To establish and utilize a rat model for investigating intra-arterial MTX delivery.
• To compare three distinct intra-arterial MTX infusion schedules.

Main Methods:

• Construction of a rat model suitable for intra-arterial MTX administration.
• Investigation of three treatment schedules: continuous 7-day intra-arterial MTX infusion, the same schedule with intraperitoneal leucovorin (CF), and intermittent intra-arterial MTX infusions.
• Comparison of intra-arterial MTX efficacy against systemic administration.

Main Results:

• Intra-arterial MTX administration demonstrated superiority over systemic use in all investigated schedules.
• The study successfully validated a rat model for intra-arterial chemotherapy delivery.
• Specific schedules involving continuous or intermittent intra-arterial MTX showed promising results in head and neck tumor treatment.

Conclusions:

• Intra-arterial infusion of methotrexate is a more effective treatment strategy than systemic administration for head and neck tumors.
• The developed rat model provides a valuable platform for further research into localized chemotherapy delivery.
• Optimized intra-arterial MTX schedules hold potential for improved head and neck cancer therapy with reduced systemic toxicity.