Suppressive effect of doxorubicin on liver recurrence after resection of colonic VX2 cancer lesions: difference in efficacy according to the injection protocol.

An animal model with liver cancer recurrence was induced by resecting colonic VX2 cancer lesions in 57 rabbits, and the effects of doxorubicin (ADR) on the recurrence were examined. Animals were divided into a control group and three chemotherapeutic groups: a portal injection group, to which ADR was injected into the portal vein after resection of the primary lesions; a peripheral injection group, to which ADR was injected into a peripheral vein after resection; and a preoperative injection group, to which an ADR dose of 0.5 mg/kg was peripherally injected 0, 1, and 2 days prior to resection followed by a portal injection of ADR 0.5 mg/kg after resection. The rate of liver recurrence was 100% in the control group, whereas it was 0% and 60% in the portal ADR 1.0 and 0.5 mg/kg injection groups, and 60% and 100% in the peripheral ADR 1.0 and 0.5 mg/kg injection groups. In the preoperative group, the rate was 0%, 100%, and 67% in the animals injected 2, 1, and 0 days prior to resection, respectively. These results suggest that portal injection or appropriate combinations of preoperative peripheral and portal injections of ADR are more effective than peripheral or portal injection alone in the suppression of liver recurrence.