[Animal experiments for intra-arterial chemotherapy with bleomycin (author's transl)]

Intra-arterial chemotherapy for treatment of head and neck carcinomas is performed on the basis of clinical reports, which postulate higher effective concentrations at the tumor for this therapeutic method than after systemic administration. This assumption, which has so far not yet been confirmed experimentally, has led to the present study. The study is concerned with different modes of application of bleomycin with the aim to achieve high cytostatic concentrations at the site of action required. In sheep the tissue concentration of 57Co-bleomycin was determined in a hypothetical tumor area, the planum buccale, and in the lymph nodes draining this area, after submucous administration (hypothetical tumor area), intra-arterial administration (A. transversa faciei, A. temporalis superficialis, A. carotis externa) and i.v. administration (V. saphena). Only submucous injection led to significantly increased 57Co-bleomycin activities in the hypothetical tumor area and in the corresponding primary draining lymph nodes. The intra-arterial administration into the A. temporalis superficialis and A. carotis externa did not show any differences compared to the i.v. injection of 57Co-bleomycin. Compared to i.v. administration, injection into the isolated A. transversa faciei led to a slightly increased concentration of radioactively labeled bleomycin, restricted to the hypothetical tumor area. The findings made by animals experiments print out that the clinical application of intra-arterial is not justified and favor intratumoral treatment of head and neck carcinomas with bleomycin.