Controlled blocking of hepatic artery flow with enzymatically degradable microspheres combined with oncolytic drugs.

A new method for intermittent hepatic arterial flow arrest has been used in combination with intraarterial 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) for the treatment of secondary liver neoplasms in 12 patients. Polysaccharide microspheres with a half-life of 1 h were infused together with 5-Fu via a percutaneously introduced catheter into the hepatic artery. There were no significant side effects to the treatment. Clinical effects and overall survival were comparable to those of hepatic artery ligation.