A clinical-pharmacological evaluation of percutaneous isolated hepatic infusion of doxorubicin in patients with unresectable liver tumors

A dose escalation study of hepatic arterial infusion of doxorubicin during hemodynamic isolation of the liver (the Deleath system) was conducted to: 1) study the pharmacokinetics of regional doxorubicin therapy, and 2) define therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of unresectable liver tumors. Eighteen patients with unresectable primary or metastatic tumor in the liver were treated with 57 procedures. Pharmacokinetic studies were performed on all treatments. Hepatic extraction ratio of doxorubicin remained constant at 60.3 ± 12.1%, independent of the dose escalation. The calculated intrahepatic concentration of doxorubicin ranged from 30 to 88 μg/ml when the dosage of doxorubicin was escalated from 50 to 120 mg/m². Dose-limiting systemic toxicity (grade 4 myelosuppression) was observed at 120 mg/m². Twelve of 14 patients who received more than one treatment at 90 or 120 mg/m² were evaluable for disease response: there were 4 partial responses, 3 minor responses, 1 stable disease, and 4 progressive disease. The median overall survival of responders was 23 months, and for nonresponders it was 8 months. We have demonstrated a dose-response effect of hepatic infusion of doxorubicin at 90 and 120 mg/m² in advanced hepatic malignancies. The isolated hepatic perfusion system improves the therapeutic index of doxorubicin and provides pharmacologic justification for its use in the treatment of unresectable hepatic malignancies, especially metastatic melanoma and sarcoma.