Regional chemotherapy: a focus on hepatic artery infusion for colorectal cancer liver metastases.

Overview

Regional infusion strategies have been used as a treatment modality in multiple cancers, including ovarian, appendiceal, and colorectal cancers. Perhaps the most illustrative use of regional therapy is that of hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) for liver metastases from colorectal cancer. The administration of chemotherapy by HAI is logical and has theoretic advantages over systemic chemotherapy for the treatment of hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer. With the use of an appropriately chosen chemotherapy agent, HAI can generate an increase in hepatic tumor drug exposure as compared with intravenous delivery of the same agent. This article reviews the pharmacologic benefits of HAI therapy and the contemporary trials performed and underway.