[Preliminary results of a phase II study of 5-FU, adriamycin, and mitomycin C (FAM) in combined hepatic infusion in patients with non-resectable metastatic liver cancer].

Sixty-eight patients in which non-resectable liver metastases were the predicted limiting factor of their survival were treated with 5-FU, ADM, MMC combined hepatic infusion chemotherapy using the following regimen: 5-FU 334 mg/m2/w shot, ADM 20 mg/m2/4 shot, MMC 2.7 mg/m2/2w shot. In the case of colorectal cancer, 5-FU 167 mg/m2/day continuously for over 3 months, then 334 mg/m2/w shot was used. In every case, the catheter was placed into the hepatic artery via the left subclavian artery and an implantable portal system was used for shot infusion and a portable pump for continuous infusion. The results were as follows: Except for one drop-out case, 67 patients were able to receive this therapy. Bone marrow suppression occurred in 32.8% of patients, gastroduodenal trouble in 31.3%, and hepatic arterial occlusion in 19.4%. Response rates and 50% survival times were 65.6%, 324 days for colorectal cancer, 80.0%, 393 days for breast cancer, and 87.5%, 342 days for gastric cancer. These are preliminary results. However, we conclude that it is appropriate to go on with this study, although discussion of this regimen involving more cases is required.