Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy for Unresectable Liver Metastases of Colorectal Cancer: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

Abstract

Introduction: Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) is a treatment used for liver metastases (LM) of colorectal cancer (CRC). Because of its technical conditions, it has been used in only a few experienced centers in France. Our aim was to evaluate its feasibility, efficacy and tolerance in 4 centers.

Methods: Clinical, biological, and radiological data of patients treated with HAIC for unresectable LM from CRC in 4 institutions from October 2011 to January 2016 were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: Sixty-one patients with unresectable LM from CRC were included. Patients had previously received systemic chemotherapy in 95% of patients and 82.8% had previous oxaliplatin treatment. Oxaliplatin was administered using an intra-arterial route combined with intravenous (I.V.) Five-fluorouracil (5-FU) with leucovorin alone in 43.3% of patients, or combined with other I.V. chemotherapies or monoclonal antibodies in 56.7% of patients. Grade 3 to 4 clinical toxicities were reported in 16% of patients, including 9.8% of neurotoxicity, and Grade 3 to 4 biological toxicities were reported in 24.6% of patients including 22.2% with neutropenia. Catheter-related complications were observed in 31.1%. Tumor response rate in first- and second-line was 26.5% and third- and fourth-line was 11%. Median overall survival (OS) in first- and second-line was 13.5 months and third- and fourth-line was 8.3 months (hazard ratio [HR], 0.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.39-1.12; P = .1729). Median progression-free survival (PFS) in first- and second-line was 9 months and third- and fourth-line were 6 months (HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.18-0.659; P = .0037). A secondary R0 resection was possible in 10 cases (16.4%) allowing a 2-year survival of 80%.

Conclusion: These data confirm that in centers that recently developed HAIC using oxaliplatin, this treatment is feasible and has acceptable tolerance. The results, in terms of hepatic PFS, PFS, OS, and the rate of secondary resections of LM, are in the range of published data, and they confirm the interest of HAIC in patients in progression after multiple I.V.

Keywords: Multitreated; Oxaliplatin; Unresectable liver metastases.