Infusion of fluorinated pyrimidines into hepatic artery for treatment of metastatic carcinoma of liver

Hepatic artery infusion of 5‐fluorouracil via transbrachial artery catheter by repeated acute monthly courses has been used in 101 patients. Objective regressions were seen in 39 of 68 patients (59%) with gastrointestinal malignancies; however, only rare regressions were observed in 41 neoplasms of other primary sites. Twenty patients were treated adequately by prolonged continuous infusion of 5‐fluoro‐2′‐deoxyuridine. Five of these patients obtained objective regressions. This was not a randomized comparative study of the two methods but comprised two separate studies. The acute intermittent program appeared superior to prolonged chronic infusion; however, with the latter method, he‐matopoietic toxicity was less severe. The use of hepatic artery catheters positioned via the brachial artery has been a practical and effective method of pursuing this form of therapy with the major significant complication, irreversible ischemic changes of the fingers and hand, occurring in only two patients.