Clinical outcome of intra-hepatic arterial infusion therapy for multiple liver metastases from colorectal cancer

Weekly infusion of high-dose 5-FU through the hepatic artery after resection of colorectal cancer was compared with resection alone in patients with multiple liver metastases. Twenty-seven patients (Group I) underwent hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy and 74 patients (Group II) underwent resection alone. The average survival time was 17.9 months in Group I and 8.5 months in Group II. One CR and 7 PR were achieved with arterial infusion therapy and the response rate was 29.6%. One- to three-year survivals were better in Group I than Group II.