[Arterial infusion of combination chemotherapy consisting of adriamycin and mitomycin C for liver metastases of breast cancer].

Forty-nine patients with liver metastases of breast cancer were treated with arterial infusion involving simultaneous use of adriamycin: 30-50 mg and mitomycin C: 10-20 mg through the hepatic artery by Seldinger catheter. Of 45 evaluable patients, there were 5 complete and 12 partial responses (CR + PR: 38%), 21 no change and 7 cases of progressive disease. The median duration of response was 5 months. The median survival time was 7.5 months in all cases, 8.7 months for responders and 6.4 months for non-responders. Leukopenia less than 4 X 10(3)/mm3 was observed in 73% of cases, thrombocytopenia less than 100 X 10(3)/mm3 in 35%, and a decreased hemoglobin value of more than 2 g/dl in 4%, but these were well tolerated. Nausea (53%), vomiting (43%), fever (12%), abdominal pain (6%) and liver toxicity (2%) were observed, but these were manageable. We conclude that this arterial infusion therapy is a useful treatment modality for controlling liver metastases of breast cancer.