HYPERTHERMIC ISOLATED LIMB PERFUSION WITH CISPLATIN IN 4 PATIENTS WITH SARCOMAS OF SOFT-TISSUE AND BONE

The value of hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion (HILP),vith cisplati n in the management of locally advanced soft tissue sarcomas or metast atic bone sarcoma was studied, Four patients mere treated with HILP un der mild hyperthermia (39-40 degrees C) with 20-30 mg cisplatin/l perf used limb volume, Toxicity in the perfused limbs was moderate, and the erythema and oedema that occurred resolved spontaneously within 7-14 days as did the slight motor and sensory neuropathy over a longer peri od of time. Clinically, a reduction of pain was observed in all patien ts, Two weeks after perfusion, tumour biopsies were taken to evaluate tumour response, Two patients showed a pathological complete response, one patient showed >90% necrosis and one patient showed no response. Currently patients are treated with tumour necrosis factor and melphal an as perfusion agents. The above-mentioned results make the combinati on of tumour necrosis factor with cisplatin in the isolated limb perfu sion setting an interesting option.