Augmentation of Lymphatic Uptake of Chemotherapeutic Agents by Induced Hepatic Outflow Block

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Abstract
THE SHORT life span of patients with metastatic cancer to the liver has led to the development of new techniques in infusion chemotherapy with respect to this organ. Often patients with liver metastases from colonic cancer have no other cancer foci present at postmortem examination. Recent reports of hepatic artery infusion with chemotherapeutic agents have stimulated interest in the treatment of patients with liver metastases.1,2,3 Hepatic artery infusion permits selective delivery and presumably concentration of drugs in the affected area. Recent work would seem to indicate that the blood supply of metastatic tumors in the liver originates from the hepatic artery.4 Interest in hepatic artery infusion for metastatic liver cancer led to our development of a new technique designed to achieve greater organ concentration of anticancer agents. Our technique consists of using caval balloon catheters to institute temporary hepatic outflow block during the infusion of a drug via