Selective targeting of anti-cancer drug and simultaneous image enhancement in solid tumors by arterially administered lipid contrast medium.

Twenty-four patients with various solid tumors including metastatic liver cancer and cancer of the lung, gallbladder, and pancreas were treated with a lipophilic macromolecular drug, copoly(styrene-maleic acid) conjugated neocarzinostatin (SMANCS). The drug was dissolved in a lipid contrast medium Lipiodol and administered by catheterizing the respective feeding arteries under x-ray monitoring. The advantages of this therapy include: (1) selective deposition of Lipiodol with the anti-cancer drug in the target tumor, (2) a pronounced and long-lasting anti-cancer effect, (3) enhanced visualization of the tumor on x-ray examinations for a prolonged period which also facilitated the long-term follow-up, (4) semiquantitative evaluation of the dosage regimen by x-ray examination before further administration, (5) general applicability due to procedural simplicity, and (6) little side effect. Since the amount of Lipiodol and SMANCS used per administration for a patient (1.0-5.0 ml; 1.0-5.0 mg) was far less than the anticipated toxicity (LD50 of Lipiodol = 95 ml/60 kg, dog, intravenously; and that of SMANCS = 3.4 mg/kg, mouse, IV), no deleterious effects to such critical organs as the brain, heart, lung, liver, or kidneys were observed upon radiologic and general clinical examination.