Hepatic arterial infusion of chemotherapy: The role of diagnostic and interventional radiology

Abstract

Hepatic arterial infusion of chemotherapy (HAIC) delivers higher local drug concentration to unresectable liver tumors with fewer significant systemic side-effects. It has been shown to produce better response rates than systemic chemotherapy and remains an important treatment option in patients with advanced, inoperable primary or maetastatic hepatic tumors. Traditionally, catheters for HAIC were inserted surgically under general anesthesia. The advancement and expansion of interventional radiology have made it possible for catheter-port systems to be inserted percutnaeously under local anesthesia with no significant increase in morbidity. A comprehensive review of the literature, techniques and complications of percutanoeus placement of catheter-port systems for HAIC is presented in this article. © The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved.