[Evaluation of intraarterial infusion chemotherapy for liver metastasis from gastric cancer FEM: combination therapy of 5-FU, epirubicin and MMC].

Objective: We evaluated the effectiveness of FEM (5-FU, epirubicin, MMC) therapy.

Subjects: Data for 111 patients with liver metastasis from gastric cancer were collected from January 1977, until June 2003 (synchronous: 74 cases, asynchronous: 37 cases). Thirty patients were H1, 20 were H2 and 61 were classified as H3.

Methods: The patients were divided into the following groups: Group A: Resection of the primary lesion and hepatic resection (n = 10), Group A1: Hepatic resection only (5 cases), Group A2: Hepatic resection and intraarterial infusion (5 cases). Group B: Resection of the primary lesion (n = 67), Group B1: Resection of the primary lesion only (46 cases), Group B2: Intraarterial infusion (21 cases). In Groups A2 and B2, FEM therapy was applied to A2a (4 cases) and B2a (8 cases). Non-FEM therapy was applied to A2b (1 case) and B2b (13 cases). Group C consisted of 34 cases in which resection of the primary lesion was not undertaken. Survival rates were then compared.

Results: 1-year survival rates and 50% survival period for each group were as follows: Group A: 33%, 5.9 months; Group B: 22%. 4.8 months; and Group C: 6%, 3.9 months, respectively. One case from Group A2a and 2 cases from Group B2a have survived for 3 years or longer.

Conclusion: 1) We treated 3 patients with liver metastasis from gastric cancer who survived for 3 years or longer. 2) Resection of the primary lesion along with hepatic intraarterial infusion therapy (in addition to hepatic resection), especially in combination with FEM therapy, provided an extended length of survival.