[Intra-arterial 5-FU/intra-venous MTX therapy for metastatic liver lesions]

We have performed intra-arterial 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/intra-venous methotrexate (MTX) therapy for 4 patients with multiple metastatic liver tumors at out-patient clinic. Primary lesions were of the stomach (one patient, synchronous) and colon (3 patients, two were synchronous and one was metachronous). 5-FU (250-350 mg/day) was continuously infused for two weeks into the hepatic artery through the reservoir using the Baxter Infuser (multi-day type). MTX (100 mg/m2) was infused into the peripheral vein on days 1, 8 and 15. Leucovorin calcium (15 mg) was orally administered three times after MTX infusion. All patients partially responded, and no remarkable side effect was detected. We propose that this new combination therapy, that is intra-arterial 5-FU and intra-venous MTX for metastatic liver cancer, can be useful and safe even for out-patients.