Regional chemoimmunotherapy for nonresectable metastatic liver disease of colorectal origin. A prospective randomized study

Background/Aims: The study has been designed to assess the potential advant ages of regional targeting chemoinimunotherapy versus systemic chemotherapy and immunotherapy in a number of patients suffering from nonresectable met astatic liver disease of colorectal origin. Methodology: From January 1996 to January 2001 (86) patients with unresecta ble metastatic liver disease of colorectal origin were randomly assigned to two groups. Group A (n=44 patients), who received regional targeting chemo immunotherapy through an arterial catheter introduced subcutaneously under echo guidance into the hepatic artery. Group B (n=42 patients) received sys temic chemoimmunotherapy. Results: Survival of Group A patients ranged from 9 to 48 months (mean: 33 months), while Group B patients' survival ranged from 8 to 18 months (mean: 10 months). Response to treatment was 75% for Group A patients versus 52% for Group B. There were statistically significant differences in survival b etween the two groups (P=0.0001). Conclusions: We believe that the data of this study reconfirms previously r eported experience about the advantages of regional chemoinimunotherapy whe n compared with systemic chemoimmunotherapy for the management of advanced metastatic liver disease.