Selective transarterial infusion chemotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer

2001 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 11670901
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Radiation science
• Research Institution: OITA MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
• Principal Investigator: MATSUMOTO Shunro OITA MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, MEDICINE, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, 医学部, 助教授 (80219500)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MORI Hiromu OITA MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, MEDICINE, PROFESSOR, 医学部, 教授 (20128226) ; KIYOSUE Hiro OITA MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, MEDICINE, ASSISTANT, 医学部, 助手 (40264345) ; YAMADA Yasunari OITA MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, MEDICINE, ASSISTANT, 医学部, 助教授 (60244183)
• Project Period (FY): 1999 – 2001
• Keywords: Pancreatic cancer / Transarterial infusion chemotherapy / Helical CT / Angiography

Research Abstract

Twenty-two patients with unresectable advanced pancreatic cancer were treated by selective transarterial infusion chemotherapy during this research period. Regarding the technique of the transarterial infusion chemotherapy, 11 patients were treated by subselective injection from peripancreatic arteries (subselective injection group) and others were treated by selective injection (selective injection group). Retention of anti-cancer drug was assessed by CT immediately after the procedure. Effect of this treatment was evaluated by CT at 1 month and 3 months after the procedure. Dense retention of the anti-cancer drug in areas over 30 % of the tumor was observed in 9 patients. CT obtained at one month follow-up showed low density area corresponding to necrosis in 13 patients. These necrotic areas, which were frequently observed in subselective injection group, were significantly correlated with the areas with dense retention of anti-cancer drugs. Overall median survival period was 7 months and 1-year survival rate was 21.9 %. Nine patients in whom dense contrast retention was observed immediately after the procedure, showed better prognosis : 9.9 months for median survival period and 42 % for 1-year survival rate. The presence of peritoneal dissemination on CT before the treatment of transarterial infusion chemotherapy also affected the prognosis significantly. No other factors, including liver metastasis or lymph nodes metastasis were statistically correlated with the survival period. Although further study including larger number of patients is needed, subselective transarterial infusion chemotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer can lead the tumor necrosis and prolonged survival in selected patients.