Salvage regional therapy using hepatic artery infusion pump in unresectable chemotherapy resistant colorectal liver metastases

Background: Little is known about the influence of hepatic artery infusion pump (HAIP) therapy in the setting of chemotherapy resistant hepatic disease in the era of modern systemic therapies.

Methods: Patients who underwent HAIP therapy for chemotherapy resistant and unresectable colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) were reviewed retrospectively.

Results: A total of 25 patients met inclusion criteria. 52% had isolated CRLM and 92% had five or more metastatic lesions. Partial response was noted in 40% of patients. Median hepatic progression-free survival (PFS) was 7 months in those with extrahepatic disease versus 6 months in those with isolated CRLM at the time of HAIP placement (p = 0.75). Median overall survival was 8 months in patients with extrahepatic disease and 14 months in patients with isolated CRLM (p = 0.06).

Conclusions: Our findings are comparable to published data and augment the literature which supports HAIP use in chemotherapy-resistant, liver-predominant metastatic colorectal cancer patients.