Chemotherapy of malignant hepatomas with sequential intraarterial doxorubicin and systemic 5-fluorouracil and semustine.

Twenty patients with malignant hepatoma were treated with sequential intraarterial doxorubicin (72-hour continuous infusion) followed by systemic 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and semustine (methyl CCNU). Objective tumor responses were seen in three patients (15%). The durations of response were 6, 19, and 27+ months, respectively. Median patient survival was 7 months. A variety of problems were encountered with the use of transcutaneous angiographic catheters for doxorubicin administration, including inability to adequately perfuse the liver, sepsis, and catheter dislodgement during chemotherapy infusion. Although some patients experienced palliation of reasonable duration, we do not believe that the overall results warrant further studies of this regimen.