Regional chemotherapy in patients with breast carcinoma liver metastases.

Background/aims: Although liver is a common site of metastases in breast cancer, isolated liver metastases in patients with disseminated breast cancer are rare. The role of liver-directed therapies in these patients is based on data derived from retrospective analysis of case series.

Methodology: We have reviewed the records of 8 patients with liver metastases and a history of breast cancer treated at our institution over a period of 11 years with regional chemotherapy administered through surgically implanted port systems.

Results: Three of the patients also had a history of second primary colorectal carcinoma. One patient had evidence of extrahepatic spread. All patients were treated by regimens based on the combination of 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid. Three patients were also treated by cytoreductive procedures. The median survival times from the diagnosis and port systems implantation were 34 months and 31 months, respectively.

Conclusions: Our data support the use of regional intraarterial chemotherapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer limited to the liver.