Advanced gallbladder carcinoma with liver metastasis showing a favorable response after intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy: report of a case.

A 66-year-old woman visited a local clinic due to general fatigue. After undergoing examinations at our hospital, the patient was diagnosed to have advanced gallbladder carcinoma with metastasis to the liver and cholecystolithiasis, After receiving a cholecystectomy, we performed chemotherapy by the intra-arterial infusion of low-dose cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil via hepatic artery, and observed its marked effect on the tumors by computed tomography. The level of carcinoembryonic antigen decreased from 114.5 ng/ml to 0.8 ng/mg, and carbohydrate antigen 125 decreased from 1 094 U/ml to 75 U/ml. The present result suggests that this therapy may be useful for some selected patients with an advanced gallbladder carcinoma.