Intraarterial infusion of 5-fluoro-2-deoxyuridine-C8 dissolved in a lymphographic agent in malignant liver tumors. A preliminary report.

The drug 5-fluoro-2-deoxyuridine-C8 (FUdR-C8), one of the lipophilic prodrugs of FUdR, was dissolved in an oily lymphographic agent (Lipiodol Ultra Fluid, Andre Gelbe Laboratory, Paris, France; Ethiodol, Savage Laboratories, Melville, NY) and used for the intraarterial treatment of malignant liver tumors. From August 1985 to June 1988, 33 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and 13 patients with metastatic liver tumors were treated with this agent at the Kumamoto University Hospital and its affiliated hospitals. The response rate (complete remission [CR] and partial remission [PR]) was 27.6% for hepatocellular carcinomas and 46.1% for metastatic liver tumors. The cumulative 1-year survival rate was 55.1% for hepatocellular carcinomas and 70.0% for metastatic liver tumors. More than a 50% decrease in the tumor marker level was observed in ten of 21 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and in two of eight patients with metastatic liver tumors. The side effects, which were transient and controlled with conservative treatment, included fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and acute gastritis.