Arterial chemoinfusion therapy through an implanted port system for patients with unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma--initial experience.

Arterial chemoinfusion therapy through an implanted port system was performed for patients with unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Eleven patients with unresectable ICC were studied. Seven patients had stage-IV disease, two had stage-III disease, and two had stage-II disease. The mean tumor size was 7.0+/-2.6 cm (range 3.8-13.5 cm). A catheter and port system was percutaneously implanted, and anticancer drugs featuring fluorouracil were administered via the infusion system every 1-2 weeks on the outpatient basis in all patients except 2. Arterial chemoinfusion therapy was repeated 12-84 times per patient (mean 51 times). Partial and minor responses were achieved in sevenents (64%). Disease was stable in two patients (18%), and progressed in the other two patients (18%). Tumor growth was controlled during a mean period of 14.5 months in seven responders and two patients with stable disease. The survival rates were 91% at 1 year, 51% at 2 years, 20% at 3 years, and 10% at 4 years, respectively. The mean survival period was 26 months. Toxicity such as cholangitis and pancytopenia was found in three patients (27%). This treatment seems to improve the prognosis of patients with unresectable ICC and deserves further studies.