[Intra-arterial infusion treatment in lung neoplasms]

Intraarterial infusionstherapy was performed with cytostatic agents (10 patients) and proteolytic enzymes (4 patients) in 14 selected cases with malignant lung tumours. Diagnosis was in 8 patients small cell carcinoma, in 3 patients adenocarcinoma, in 2 patients squamous cell carcinoma of the lung and in 1 patient leiomyosarcoma of the lung (relapse). Infusions were performed in 8 cases through the A. bronchialis, in 5 through the A. pulmonalis and in 1 patient through the A. thoracica interna. After single infusions of cytostatic agents via the A. bronchialis, remissions of varying extents, were found in 5 out of 8 patients. Repeated infusions with enzymes (1-5 series) through the A. pulmonalis lead in 2 out of 4 cases to slight remissions with a duration of 5 and 12 months, respectively. Possibilities and limiting factors of this therapeutic modality are demonstrated by recent observations.