Palliative, intraarterial chemotherapy for advanced head and neck cancer using an implantable port system

Intraarterial drug therapy for head and neck cancer has been used for more than 30 years. However, because of catheter-related complications occurring quite frequently, this method was abandoned in many institutions. The development of subcutaneously implantable injection ports has renewed interest in regional drug delivery.

This study reports the authors' experience with 11 injection ports implanted in 10 patients suffering from advanced or recurrent head and neck cancer.

The regional chemotherapy was well tolerated; the predominant side effects were hemialopecia and mild unilateral mucositis.

These results suggest that regional, intra-arterial chemotherapy using implantable injection ports should be considered for palliative treatment of advanced head and neck cancer.