[Continuous venous infusion in cancer chemotherapy].

The benefits of continuous venous infusion of anti-cancer agents including increased antitumor efficacy or decreased toxicity was discussed from the view point of the mechanism of action and pharmacokinetics of the drugs. Pulmonary toxicity of bleomycin, cardiotoxicity of adriamycin and myelosuppression of 5-fluorouracil may be reduced by continuous infusion. Antitumor efficacy may be increased by continuous infusion in the case of bleomycin, 5-fluorouracil and cytosine arabinoside. Thus these drugs may show an improvement in the therapeutic index when given as a continuous infusion.