Chemotherapy for Lung Cancer by Intra-aortic Infusion

Abstract

Over a period of four years, 91 patients with inoperable or nonresectable lung cancer (55 bronchogenic and 36 metastatic) were treated by the continuous regional intra-aortic infusion of fluorouracil and cyclophosphamide, or both, for the purpose of increasing and prolonging the concentration of these agents in tumor-bearing areas supplied by the bronchial arteries. Twelve of the patients with bronchogenic cancer showed an objective response rate of 12.4 months' duration with an average survival time of 13.4 months. In the metastatic group, the cancers of 12 patients had an average objective regression of 12.5 months' duration with an average survival time of 14.5 months. A comparable retrospective study of the intravenous method of administration demonstrated no objective response (by our criteria) in 49 cases of bronchogenic and seven cases of metastatic lung cancer. Average survival time was 4.2 and 4.4 months, respectively.