Regional intravascular chemotherapy for experimental liver metastasis.

Abstract

To investigate the effectiveness of intravascular chemotherapy, the rats im· planted with two different sizes and ages of Yoshida sarcoma into the liver were treated with Mitomycin·C through either the hepatic artery or the portal vein. The administration of Mitomycin-C was effective by both arterial and portal routes on the rats bearing small young tumor, whereas it was effective only by arterial route on the rats bearing large developed tumor. Tumor regression was also observed on the rats bearing the tumor after ligation of the hepatic artery. Further, to observe the relationship between tumor growth and its blood supply, microangiography was performed by injection of AgI colloid through the hepatic artery and the portal vein. The branches of the hepatic artery flourished around the tumor at the 4th day after implantation and gradually entered into the tumor area at the 6th day. Thereafter, tumor area was occupied by the arterial branches and later the branches were occluded by the progressive growth of tumor. On the other hand, the branches of the portal vein were obliterated earlier than those of the hepatic artery and at the 5th day no branches were observed in the tumor area. These vascular changes are closely related to tumor growth, so that special regard should be paid to the change of the blood supply when chemotherapeutic agents are given.