Intraarterial infusion of lipiodol-epirubicin suspension for treatment of unresectable liver metastases

Recent studies have demonstrated that lipiodol, oily contrast medium, injected into the hepatic artery after selective catheterization by Seldinger's method, specifically binds to primary and metastatic tumours and remains 'in situ' for months. Mixing at lipiodol the antiblastic agent (epirubicin, 20 mg) we have treated, from August 1987, 27 patients (11 female and 15 male, age range 38-75 years) with unresectable liver metastases of digestive tract tumours. Eighteen of this patients were treated once only and 8 patients were treated monthly for 3 times. The size of liver tumour was checked with CT-scan, by computerized measurement of tumour area. We have observed no growth of tumours in all patients, and always the decrease in size of liver tumour after the injection of lipiodol-epirubicin. These results suggest that the antiblastic effect of this mixture is effective for one month, and that the repeated monthly infusions permit the stabilization of the tumour area at 6 months after the first chemoembolization. In all patients side effects of treatment are mild and transient, and we have often observed improvement of clinical conditions.