Continuous infusion of hepatic arterial irinotecan in pretreated patients with colorectal cancer metastatic to the liver

Hepatic Artery Infusion Pump Combined With Systemic Chemotherapy for Patients With Liver Metastases From Breast Carcinoma

Background: When liver metastasis in patients with breast cancer is diagnosed, treatment is generally palliative and usually consists of systemic therapies only. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) combined with systemic chemotherapy in patients with breast carcinoma liver metastases (BCLM). Methods: From January 2012 to December 2019, HAI catheter systems were implanted under the guide of digital subtract angiography (DSA) in 19 patients with BCLM. All patients received systemic chemotherapy and HAI gemcitabine plus floxuridine (FUDR). Methods: The overall response rate (ORR) of intrahepatic lesions was 73.7%, including 2 patients (10.5%) with complete remission (CR) and 12 patients (63.2%) with partial remission (PR). Additionally, we found that young patients (age < 55 years) had a higher ORR than the older (100% vs 44.4%, P = .011). The median overall survival (mOS) was 13.1 months. Kaplan-Meier survival curves demonstrated that the mOS was not significantly different between patients with < 9 intrahepatic lesions and those with ≥ 9 lesions (13.7 months vs 10.9 months, P = .225). The mOS was 14.3 and 10.6 months for patients without extrahepatic metastases and with extrahepatic metastases, respectively (P = .016). None of the patients had grade 4 toxicity. The grade 3 toxicities included leucopenia, neutropenia and diarrhea. Conclusions: HAI gemcitabine plus FUDR combined with systemic chemotherapy is effective in achieving a high local response and prolonging mOS for patients with BCLM and is associated with a relatively low rate of toxicity.

Review of Intra-Arterial Therapies for Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastasis

Simple Summary

Colorectal cancer liver metastasis occurs in more than 50% of patients with colorectal cancer and is thought to be the most common cause of death from this cancer. The mainstay of treatment for inoperable liver metastasis has been combination systemic chemotherapy with or without the addition of biological targeted therapy with a goal for disease downstaging, for potential curative resection, or more frequently, for disease control. For patients with dominant liver metastatic disease or limited extrahepatic disease, liver-directed intra-arterial therapies including hepatic arterial chemotherapy infusion, chemoembolization and radioembolization are alternative treatment strategies that have shown promising results, most commonly in the salvage setting in patients with chemo-refractory disease. In recent years, their role in the first-line setting in conjunction with concurrent systemic chemotherapy has also been explored. This review aims to provide an update on the current evidence regarding liver-directed intra-arterial treatment strategies and to discuss potential trends for the future.

Abstract

The liver is frequently the most common site of metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer, occurring in more than 50% of patients. While surgical resection remains the only potential curative option, it is only eligible in 15–20% of patients at presentation. In the past two decades, major advances in modern chemotherapy and personalized biological agents have improved overall survival in patients with unresectable liver metastasis. For patients with dominant liver metastatic disease or limited extrahepatic disease, liver-directed intra-arterial therapies such as hepatic arterial chemotherapy infusion, chemoembolization and radioembolization are treatment strategies which are increasingly being considered to improve local tumor response and to reduce systemic side effects. Currently, these therapies are mostly used in the salvage setting in patients with chemo-refractory disease. However, their use in the first-line setting in conjunction with systemic chemotherapy as well as to a lesser degree, in a neoadjuvant setting, for downstaging to resection have also been investigated. Furthermore, some clinicians have considered these therapies as a temporizing tool for local disease control in patients undergoing a chemotherapy ‘holiday’ or acting as a bridge in patients between different lines of systemic treatment. This review aims to provide an update on the current evidence regarding liver-directed intra-arterial treatment strategies and to discuss potential trends for the future.

Intraarterial Chemotherapy for Liver Metastases

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading cancers globally in terms of both incidence and cancer-related mortality. Liver metastatic disease is the main prognostic driver for patients with CRC. The management options for liver metastatic CRC continue to evolve, particularly with the incorporation of locoregional therapies into the treatment paradigm. Hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) chemotherapy is one such liver directed approach used with the goal of converting patients to liver resection, reducing the risk of recurrence, treating recurrent disease, and most importantly improving overall survival. This article summarizes the role of HAI chemotherapy in the treatment of liver metastatic CRC.

Toward a better understanding of the mechanism of action for intra-arterial delivery of irinotecan from DC Bead(TM) (DEBIRI)

DC Bead is designed for the embolization of liver malignancies combined with local sustained chemotherapy delivery. It was first demonstrated around a decade ago that irinotecan could be loaded into DC Bead and used in a transarterially directed procedure to treat colorectal liver metastases, commonly referred to as drug-eluting bead with irinotecan (DEBIRI). Despite numerous reports of its safe and effective use in treating colorectal liver metastases patients, there remains a perceived fundamental paradox as to how this treatment works. This review of the mechanism of action of DEBIRI provides a rationale for why intra-arterial delivery of this prodrug from an embolic bead provides for enhanced tumor selectivity, sparing the normal liver while reducing adverse side effects associated with the irinotecan therapy.

5-FU or mitomycin C hepatic arterial infusion after failure of arterial oxaliplatin in patients with colorectal cancer unresectable liver metastases

INTRODUCTION

Hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) chemotherapy with oxaliplatin is an accepted option in the management of colorectal cancer (CRC) with dominant liver metastases (LM). However, despite prolonged control, some patients experience disease progression. On the other hand, oxaliplatin leads to dose-limiting toxicity. In these cases, the use of a second-line HAI with an alternative drug has never been reported to date. We evaluated treatment outcomes in patients receiving second-line HAI with 5-FU or mitomycin C, after first-line HAI of oxaliplatin in heavily pretreated patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Between March 2010 and June 2016, this observational study included 24 patients with unresectable CRC LM and treated with HAI of 5-FU (17 patients) or mitomycin C (7 patients), after HAI of oxaliplatin.

RESULTS

Mean age was 61.7 years. Forty-two percent of patients (10/24) had extra-hepatic metastases and 75% (18/24) at least 8 liver metastases. Including HAI of oxaliplatin, all patients had previously received at least 2 lines of chemotherapy±targeted agents (100%) and 96% (23/24) received concomitant systemic therapies together with HAI of 5-FU or mitomycin C. The overall objective response rate and disease control rate were, respectively, 42% (10/24) and 71% (17/24). Median progression-free survival and overall survival (OS) were, respectively, 5.6 and 25.8 months; hepatic progression-free survival was 8.5months. Thirteen percent (3/24) of the patients received further curative intent treatment after HAI 5-FU and mitomycin C. No toxic death occurred and the toxicity profile was acceptable.

CONCLUSIONS

HAI of 5-FU or mitomycin C is an alternative option in patients with predominant CRC LM, when they experience disease progression or do not tolerate HAI of oxaliplatin.

Pharmacokinetics of Irinotecan, Oxaliplatin and 5-Fluorouracil During Hepatic Artery Chronomodulated Infusion: A Translational European OPTILIV Study

The combination of hepatic artery infusion (HAI) of irinotecan, 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin with intravenous cetuximab has safely achieved prolonged survival in colorectal cancer patients with extensive liver metastases and prior treatment. Systemic exposure to the drugs or their main metabolites was determined during the first course of chronomodulated triplet HAI in 11 patients and related to toxicities after one or three courses. Consistent trends were found between the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) values of irinotecan, 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN38; a bioactive metabolite), total oxaliplatin and platinum ultrafiltrate (P-UF), on the one hand, and subsequent leukopenia severity, on the other hand. Moreover, the maximum plasma concentration (C _max) and the AUC of P-UF significantly predicted grades of diarrhoea (p = 0.004 and 0.017, respectively) and anaemia (p = 0.001 and 0.008, respectively) after the first course. Systemic drug exposure helps explain both the adverse events and the low rate of extrahepatic progression-a usual drawback of HAI chemotherapy-thus supporting upfront testing of the regimen. Systems optimization of chronomodulated HAI delivery could further reduce adverse events.

Drug-induced bile duct injury

Drug-induced liver injury includes a spectrum of pathologies, some related to the mode of injury, some to the cell type primarily damaged. Among these, drug-induced bile duct injury is characterized by the destruction of the biliary epithelium following exposure to a drug. Most of the drugs associated with bile duct injury cause immune-mediated lesions to the epithelium of interlobular ducts. These share common histopathological features with primary biliary cholangitis, such as inflammation and necrosis at the expense of cholangiocytes and, if the insult persists, bile duct loss and biliary cirrhosis. Some drugs selectively target larger ducts. Such injury is often dose-dependent and thought to be the result of intrinsic drug toxicity. The histological changes resemble those seen in primary sclerosing cholangitis. This overview focuses on the clinical and pathological features of bile duct injury associated with drug treatment and on the immunological and biochemical effects that drugs exert on the biliary epithelium. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Cholangiocytes in Health and Disease edited by Jesus Banales, Marco Marzioni, Nicholas LaRusso and Peter Jansen.

Treatment Options in Colorectal Liver Metastases: Hepatic Arterial Infusion

BACKGROUND

The liver is the most common site for metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC) with the majority of these patients having unresectable disease.

METHODS

This is a retrospective review of studies using hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) therapy to treat liver metastasis from CRC. A PubMed search of randomized controlled trials and retrospective studies from 2006 to present was conducted using the search terms 'hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) therapy', 'colorectal cancer', and 'treatment of liver metastases'.

RESULTS

The first randomized studies comparing HAI to systemic therapy with 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin produced significantly higher response rates of 41 versus 14%. Systemic therapy has improved with the addition of irinotecan and oxaliplatin; however, the responses with HAI and these modern agents have also increased, with responses as high as 80%. For patients with wild-type KRAS, HAI and systemic therapy produced a median survival of 68 months. In patients with refractory disease, response rates are in the 30% range with a median survival of 20 months. Adjuvant HAI after liver resection has shown an increase of hepatic disease-free survival and overall disease-free survival when compared to systemic therapy alone in three of four randomized trials. A recent update of the adjuvant trials after liver resection at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has shown a 5-year survival of 78%.

CONCLUSION

HAI therapy has a role in treating hepatic metastases from CRC in both the resectable and unresectable setting.

Intra-arterial therapies for colorectal cancer liver metastases (radioembolization excluded)

During the past 20 years, advances in systemic therapies have improved overall survival of patients with Colorectal cancer Liver metastases (CRLM) from 6 to 24 months. By reaching CRLM via their preferential arterial vascularization, hepatic arterial infusion of chemotherapy (HAIC) has demonstrated improvement in response rate and deepness of response. Improvement in deepness of response is potentially helpful to convert no surgical patient to surgery. Recent HAIC regimens, including HAIC-FUDR plus systemic oxaliplatin/irinotecan, or HAIC-oxaliplatin plus systemic 5FU and cetuximab yielded a 92% and 90% response rate respectively, and conversion to R0 surgery in 47% and 42% of patients, respectively. When HAIC delivered a drug ineffective through intravenous delivery, this rechallenge provided 62% response rate for HAIC. Nowadays, port-catheter implanted percutaneously by radiologists has 95% feasibility with primary patency equivalent to that of surgically implanted catheters, and secondary patency superior after radiologic revision. Retrospective studies demonstrated prolonged DFS of HAIC over IV chemotherapy in the adjuvant setting after surgery of CRLM. Drug eluting beads loaded with irinotecan (DEBIRI) were developed as drug carrier and embolization platform for treatment of CRLM by chemoembolization. DEBIRI allows for a very high level of SN-38 (SN-38 is the active compound of irinotecan) and a very high rate of complete l response at pathologic studies of treated metastases. DEBIRI was compared to systemic FOLFIRI in a phase III randomized trial including 74 patients with benefit in overall survival and disease-free survival.

Comparative Effectiveness of Hepatic Artery Based Therapies for Unresectable Colorectal Liver Metastases: A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Patients with unresectable Colorectal Liver Metastases (CRLM) are increasingly being managed using Hepatic Artery Based Therapies (HAT), including Hepatic Arterial Infusion (HAI), Radioembolization (RE), and Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization (TACE). Limited data is available on the comparative effectiveness of these options. We hypothesized that outcomes in terms of survival and toxicity were equivalent across the three strategies.

METHODS

A meta-analysis was performed using a prospectively registered search strategy at PROSPERO (CRD42013003861) that utilized studies from PubMed (2003-2013). Primary outcome was median overall survival (OS). Secondary outcomes were treatment toxicity, tumor response, and conversion of the tumor to resectable. Additional covariates included prior or concurrent systemic therapy.

RESULTS

Of 491 studies screened, 90 were selected for analyses-52 (n = 3,000 patients) HAI, 24 (n = 1,268) RE, 14 (n = 1,038) TACE. The median OS (95% CI) for patients receiving HAT in the first-line were RE 29.4 vs. HAI 21.4 vs. TACE 15.2 months (p = 0.97, 0.69 respectively). For patients failing at least one line of prior systemic therapy, the survival outcomes were TACE 21.3 (20.6-22.4) months vs. HAI 13.2 (12.2-14.2) months vs. RE 10.7 (9.5-12.0). Grade 3-4 toxicity for HAT alone was 40% in the HAI group, 19% in the RE group, and 18% in the TACE groups, which was increased with the addition of systemic chemotherapy. Level 1 evidence was available in 5 studies for HAI, 2 studies for RE and 1 for TACE.

CONCLUSION

HAI, RE, and TACE are equally effective in patients with unresectable CRLM with marginal differences in survival.

Dose-finding study of hepatic arterial infusion of irinotecan-based treatment in patients with advanced cancers metastatic to the liver

BACKGROUND

Liver metastases are associated with a poor prognosis. We investigated the use of hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) of irinotecan combination therapy in patients with liver metastases.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with histologically confirmed advanced cancer with liver metastases that was refractory to standard therapy were eligible. A standard "3 + 3" phase I study design was used to determine the dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) and the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Three cohorts were evaluated: HAI of irinotecan with systemic intravenous (IV) (a) bevacizumab, (b) oxaliplatin and bevacizumab, or (c) bevacizumab and cetuximab.

RESULTS

From October 2009 through December 2013, 98 patients with various tumor types were enrolled (median age, 62 years, range, 34-85; and median number of prior therapies, 4, range, 1-11). In cohorts A and C, dose escalation continued until the highest dose level-considered the MTD-was reached. In cohort B, dose escalation continued until dose level 3, and dose level 2 was considered the MTD. Rates of grade 3/4 adverse events were as follows: diarrhea, 8 %; fatigue, 4 %; neutropenia, 4 %; thrombocytopenia, 2 %; and skin rash, 2 %. Seventy-seven patients were evaluable for response. Partial response was noted in 5 (6.5 %) patients (neuroendocrine cancer, n = 2; CRC, n = 2; NSCLC, n = 1); and stable disease ≥ 6 months in 17 (22.1 %) patients (CRC, n = 13; breast, n = 1; neuroendocrine, n = 1; NSCLC, n = 1; pancreatic, n = 1).

CONCLUSIONS

HAI irinotecan in combination with bevacizumab; oxaliplatin plus bevacizumab; or cetuximab plus bevacizumab was safe and may be a treatment option for selected patients with advanced cancer and liver involvement.

Locoregional therapies for metastatic colorectal carcinoma to the liver--an evidence-based review

The liver is the most common visceral site of colorectal cancer metastasis and recurrence. Given that only 25% of patients with colorectal liver metastases are amenable to curative surgical resection at initial diagnosis, locoregional intra-arterial therapies including hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy, conventional transarterial chemoembolization, drug-eluting-bead transarterial chemoembolization, and radioembolization have increasingly developed as viable treatment options. The rationale, efficacy, safety, and toxicity of each of these therapies are reviewed and stratified based on current evidence.

Place of hepatic intra-arterial chemotherapy in the treatment of colorectal liver metastases

The rationale for hepatic intra-arterial chemotherapy (HACT) is based on the predominantly arterial vascularization of liver metastases (HM). The intra-arterial route of administration thus increases the exposure of tumor cells to cytotoxic agents while limiting systemic toxicity. Chemotherapy is administered through a catheter placed in the gastroduodenal artery by either a surgical or percutaneous approach. Several anticancer agents can be administered to hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer (HMCRC) by HACT. Fluorodeoxyuridine (FUDR), used mainly in the United States, has a high intrahepatic extraction rate but also has intrinsic hepatobiliary toxicity. The HACT route is less suitable for irinotecan, since its active metabolite requires first-pass metabolism. In France, oxaliplatin is the most commonly used agent administered by HACT in combination with intravenous chemotherapy according to a 5-FU-Leucovorin protocol. The three main indications for HACT are: (1) potentially resectable HMCRC, (2) adjuvant treatment after resection of HMCRC in patients at high risk of intrahepatic recurrence, (3) palliative treatment of patients with primarily intra-hepatic disease that is definitely unresectable. In the setting of potentially resectable HMCRC, HACT can increase the chemotherapeutic response rate and improve the rate of secondary resectability. In the adjuvant setting, HACT seems to improve disease-free survival after complete resection of HMCRC in patients at high risk of intrahepatic recurrence. Finally, in the palliative setting, HACT prolongs progression-free survival, even in patients whose disease has progressed with intravenously administered oxaliplatin.

Interventional oncologic approaches to liver metastases

Metastatic liver disease is the most common cause of death in cancer patients. Complete surgical resection is currently considered the only curative treatment, with only about 25% of patients being amenable to surgery. Therefore, a variety of interventional oncologic techniques have been developed for treating secondary liver malignancies. The aim of these therapies is either to allow patients with unresectable tumors to become surgical candidates, provide curative treatment options in nonsurgical candidates, or improve survival in a palliative or even curative approach. Among these interventional therapies are transcatheter therapies such as portal vein embolization, hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy, transarterial chemoembolization, and radioembolization, as well as interstitial techniques, particularly radiofrequency ablation as the most commonly applied technique. The rationale, application and clinical results of each of these techniques are reviewed on the basis of the current literature. Future prospects such as gene therapy and immunotherapy are introduced.

What is the potential role of hepatic arterial infusion chemo-therapy in the current armamentorium against colorectal cancer

The management of colorectal cancer patients with liver metastases is a common clinical problem. If patients can undergo resection of liver metastases, long-term survival can be achieved. Converting a patient from unresectable to resectable, however, remains a major challenge. The majority of patients who undergo liver resection for colorectal metastases recur; therefore, adjuvant treatment following resection should be considered. Emerging literature suggests that hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) can be combined with systemic chemotherapy. Both therapies can be given at nearly full doses, thus improving resectability and outcomes for patients with colorectal liver metastases. HAI plus systemic can also be a useful option for adjuvant treatment after hepatic resection.

Arterial therapies of colorectal cancer metastases to the liver

Intra-arterial therapies directed to the liver take advantage that liver tumors are fed by the hepatic artery while the liver vascularization is 30% arterial. Most common techniques of intra-arterial therapies for colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM) include intra-arterial hepatic chemotherapy (IAHC), transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), and radioembolization. Such treatments are used as salvage therapies because they provide response when systemic therapies are inefficient. They are also used as a first line therapy to produce maximal response in order to convert the patient from non-surgical to surgical. IAHC with FUDR or oxaliplatinum allow 90% response rate and conversion to surgery of 40% to 50% of initially inoperable patients. TACE is used in CRLM with promising response rate, namely due to the use of drug eluting beads that can be loaded with irinotecan which can elute the drug they contain after embolization in liver tumor. Radioembolization is a unique way of delivering a high tumoricidal dose of radiation (>100 Gy) to liver tumor without harming the healthy liver, and provided interesting results in salvage therapy, enough to be evaluated today in a randomized control trial in first line therapy where FOLFOX is proposed with and without additional radioembolization.

Modern insights into hepatic arterial infusion for liver metastases from colorectal cancer

Hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) selectively achieves high drug exposure of liver metastases from colorectal cancer. Such pharmacologic advantage has doubled the response rate of liver metastases on fluoropyrimidines (FP) delivered as HAI rather than intravenously, in a meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials (RCT). However, the improvement in antitumour efficacy did not consistently translate into any significant survival advantage across all randomised studies. However, the results of this meta-analysis should be cautiously interpreted due to the heterogeneity of the studies, inadequate study designs, obsolete therapy and high rate of early treatment discontinuation due to HAI technical failures or hepato-biliary toxicity. Most studies actually were performed before year 2000 and did not integrate the considerable progresses accomplished in the management of CRC, such as multidrug regimens instead of single agent FP and secondary resection of metastases, a major contributing factor for prolonged survival. Furthermore, the systemic exposure of patients given HAI was low without concomitant IV therapy, facilitating extra-hepatic relapses. The role of HAI in liver metastases from CRC should, therefore, be revisited, using modern multidisciplinary therapeutic approaches and appropriate study designs. Recommendations for the design of future RCTs exploring HAI are provided.

Role of intra-arterial hepatic chemotherapy in the treatment of colorectal cancer metastases

Hepatic metastases are common with colorectal cancer. The primary blood supply to hepatic metastases is the hepatic artery. Regional chemotherapy utilizing the hepatic artery is one treatment option for liver metastases. The advantage of hepatic arterial chemotherapy is that high concentrations of the therapeutic drug are obtained in the liver with minimal systemic toxicity. Recently, systemic chemotherapy regimens have been added to hepatic arterial infusional chemotherapy to treat hepatic metastases. Due to the high response rates in the liver, resection rates are increasing in patients originally thought to have unresectable liver disease. Hepatic arterial chemotherapy has also been used in the adjuvant setting after resection of all liver metastases in order to minimize hepatic recurrences. The role of hepatic arterial infusional therapy in treating hepatic colorectal metastases includes treating patients with both resectable and unresectable metastases in the adjuvant, neoadjuvant, or palliative settings.

Chemotherapy for the conversion of unresectable colorectal cancer liver metastases to resection

Resection of colorectal liver metastases (CLM) is the ultimate aim of treatment strategies in most patients with liver-confined metastatic colorectal cancer. Long-term survival is possible in selected patients with initially resectable or unresectable CLM. As a majority of patients have unresectable liver disease at the outset, there is a clear role for chemotherapy to downstage liver disease making resection possible. Studies of systemic chemotherapy with or without biologic therapy in patients with unresectable CLM have resulted in increased response rates, liver resection rates and survival. A sound physiologic rationale exists for the use of hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) therapy. Studies have shown that HAI with floxuridine combined with systemic chemotherapy increases response rates and liver resection rates in those patients with initially unresectable CLM. Toxicity from preoperative chemotherapy, biologic therapy and HAI therapy may adversely affect hepatic resection but can be kept minimal with appropriate monitoring. All conversion strategies should be decided by a multidisciplinary team.

Regional hepatic chemotherapies in treatment of colorectal cancer metastases to the liver

Colorectal cancer metastases to the liver are primarily supplied by the hepatic artery. Therefore, delivery of regional chemotherapy via the hepatic artery is a viable treatment option. Chemotherapy can be delivered in high concentration to the liver with minimal systemic toxicity. Hepatic artery infusional (HAI) chemotherapy both alone and in combination with systemic chemotherapy in the treatment of isolated hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer has resulted in high response rates and increased resection rates for previously unresectable liver disease. Regional chemotherapy can also be used as adjuvant treatment after complete resection of liver metastases to reduce hepatic recurrences. The combination of HAI therapy with modern systemic chemotherapy has a role in the palliative, adjuvant, and neoadjuvant settings.

Rescue chemotherapy using multidrug chronomodulated hepatic arterial infusion for patients with heavily pretreated metastatic colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

: Hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) chemotherapy delivers a high concentration of drugs both to liver metastases and to healthy liver with specific, limiting, hepatobiliary toxicities. Relevant detoxification and cellular proliferation pathways are controlled by the molecular circadian clock in normal liver but not in advanced tumors. In this article, the authors report their experience with chronomodulated HAI chemotherapy as rescue therapy in heavily pretreated patients who had metastatic colorectal cancer.

METHODS

: Data from all consecutive patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases who received HAI with chronomodulated, multidrug chemotherapy regimens in the authors' center after failure on standard chemotherapy were reviewed for efficacy and safety.

RESULTS

: Twenty-nine patients were treated, including 76% with liver metastasis only and 24% with liver and lung metastases. Seventy-five percent of patients had received > or =3 chemotherapy lines, including intravenous, chronomodulated chemotherapy in 59% of patients. Patients received a median of 4 HAI courses (range, 1-9 courses). The most frequent grade (according to National Cancer Institute of Canada Common Toxicity Criteria [version 3]) 3 and 4 nonhematologic toxicities were vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fatigue. No severe hematologic or hepatic toxicities and no chemical cholangitis were reported. An objective tumor response was observed in 10 patients (34.5%), including 4 patients who subsequently underwent R0 or R1 hepatic resection. The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 4.5 months (95% confidence limits, 2.4-6.5 months) and 18 months (95% confidence limits, 5.8-30.2 months), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

: HAI chronomodulated chemotherapy had well tolerated activity in selected, heavily pretreated patients, and the authors believe it deserves to be assessed prospectively in clinical trials among patients who have less advanced disease. Cancer 2009. (c) 2009 American Cancer Society.

The Role of Aggressive Regional Therapy for Colorectal Liver Metastases

Surgical resection is the most effective treatment modality for liver metastases from colorectal cancer. However, most patients with liver metastases are not candidates for resection due to extensive intrahepatic disease. Approximately one-half of the patients who are able to undergo resection will eventually recur within the remnant liver. Hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) chemotherapy takes advantage of the arterial blood supply of colorectal liver metastases to increase tumor exposure to chemotherapy while minimizing systemic toxicity. HAI chemotherapy has been utilized in patients with unresectable disease in the neoadjuvant setting in an effort to convert them to resectability as well as in patients with resectable disease in the adjuvant setting in an effort to prevent recurrence. This article reviews the roles of HAI chemotherapy in an aggressive approach toward colorectal liver metastases.

The role of floxuridine in metastatic liver disease

Liver metastases are mainly supplied by the hepatic artery. Sustained high levels of intratumoral drug are achievable with certain drugs given via the hepatic artery. Floxuridine (FUDR) is an ideal drug for hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) due to its short half life, steep dose response curve, high total body clearance, and high hepatic extraction. HAI FUDR has consistently shown higher response rates than systemic chemotherapy alone, and some studies have shown a survival advantage. HAI FUDR in combination with systemic chemotherapy has evolved over the years and may be used in palliative, neoadjuvant, and adjuvant settings. The dramatic responses observed with HAI FUDR plus modern era systemic chemotherapy offer the possibility of resection and cure in selected patients. The high hepatic extraction of FUDR limits systemic side effects. Toxicity includes biliary and gastrointestinal ulcers.

Regional chemotherapy: a focus on hepatic artery infusion for colorectal cancer liver metastases

Regional infusion strategies have been used as a treatment modality in multiple cancers, including ovarian, appendiceal, and colorectal cancers. Perhaps the most illustrative use of regional therapy is that of hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) for liver metastases from colorectal cancer. The administration of chemotherapy by HAI is logical and has theoretic advantages over systemic chemotherapy for the treatment of hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer. With the use of an appropriately chosen chemotherapy agent, HAI can generate an increase in hepatic tumor drug exposure as compared with intravenous delivery of the same agent. This article reviews the pharmacologic benefits of HAI therapy and the contemporary trials performed and underway.

Hepatic arterial infusion of oxaliplatin and intravenous LV5FU2 in unresectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer after systemic chemotherapy failure

BACKGROUND

We have previously shown promising activity of hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) oxaliplatin combined with intravenous (IV) 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin (LV) as first-line chemotherapy in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) (intent-to-treat [ITT] objective response rate [ORR], 64%; secondary resection rate, 18%; overall survival [OS], 27 months). Whether this regimen could be beneficial after systemic chemotherapy failure is unknown.

METHODS

Patients with unresectable CRLM and history of systemic chemotherapy failure were treated bimonthly with HAI oxaliplatin (100 mg/m(2) 2 hours) combined with IV LV and IV bolus and infusional 5FU (modified LV5FU2 regimen).

RESULTS

Forty-four consecutive patients (median age 56 years; median number of prior systemic chemotherapy regimens, 2 range 1-5) were included, of whom 43 (98%) had previously received oxaliplatin (n = 34), irinotecan (n = 37), or both (n = 28). Patients received a median of nine cycles of HAI oxaliplatin and IV modified LV5FU2 (range 0-25). Toxicity included grade 3-4 neutropenia (43%), grade 2-3 neuropathy (43%), and grade 3-4 abdominal pain (14%). We observed 24 partial ORs (62%) among the 39 assessable patients (ITT ORR, 55%; 95% CI, 40-69%), including 17, 12, and 12 patients who had failed to respond to prior systemic chemotherapy with FOLFIRI, FOLFOX, or both, respectively. Tumor response allowed further R0 surgical resection (n = 7) or radiofrequency ablation (n = 1) of initially unresectable CRLM in eight patients (18%). Median progression-free survival and OS were 7 and 16 months, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

HAI oxaliplatin and IV LV5FU2 is feasible, safe, and shows promising activity after systemic chemotherapy failure, allowing surgical resection of initially unresectable CRLM in 18% of patients.

Techniques for the placement of hepatic artery catheters for regional chemotherapy in unresectable liver metastases

AIMS

For patients with unresectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC), hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) can produce higher response rates as compared to systemic chemotherapy. However, the added morbidity and early dysfunction after catheter placement have negatively influenced the outcomes of randomized studies.

METHODS

Between July 1998 and March 2006, 29 patients with unresectable liver metastases from CRC were included in three different HAIC protocols. A catheter was laparoscopically placed in the gastroduodenal artery, retrograde to the common hepatic artery and was attached to a subcutaneous access port. Perioperative parameters and catheter-associated adverse events during chemotherapy were studied.

RESULTS

Mean operating time was 106+/-29 min and median duration of hospitalization was 2 days (range: 1-13). No major perioperative complications occurred but there was 1 death (3.6%) 1 week after surgery due to hemorrhagic shock after necrosis and rupture of the hepatic artery. During a median follow-up of 10 months (range: 0-35) we observed 5 (17%) catheter-associated adverse events, but in only 2 patients (7%) this resulted in a loss of catheter function before the end of chemotherapy. Overall median duration of HAIC was 8 months (range: 1-28).

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic placement of a hepatic artery catheter is associated with a low operative morbidity. The observed functionality of the hepatic artery ports in our series is encouraging for the use in future studies of HAIC.

Current Strategies Using Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer

In recent years, a number of phase III clinical trials have reported median survival times approaching 20 months using modern combination chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). Despite the advances in systemic therapy, this approach is still considered palliative because long-term survival or cure is extremely rare. Surgery or the use of ablative techniques may result in prolonged survival for patients with liver metastases, but only a minority of cases are suitable for local therapy. Hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) therapy involves local delivery of drug to liver metastases, resulting in higher intrahepatic drug levels and a consequent doubling in response rates compared with systemic chemotherapy. Despite higher response rates, demonstrating a survival advantage for HAI has been more challenging. Recently, a number of studies have been published that appear to address some of the inadequacies of earlier trials and have demonstrated encouraging results. This review assimilates the current data on HAI for CRC and includes an assessment of new chemotherapeutic agents delivered via HAI, neoadjuvant HAI, HAI combined with systemic chemotherapy, the use of HAI for early-stage colorectal cancer, and future trials. Continued progress in the field of HAI therapy may reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with CRC, so continued research in this area should be encouraged.