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A prospective analysis of tourniquet infusion chemotherapy is reported. Twelve patients with recurrent malignant melanoma and one patient with Kaposi's sarcoma on the lower extremities were treated. An objective tumor response (CR + PR) was noted in 4/8 patients with DTIC and in 1/5 with Adriamycin. Stable disease was registered in 2/8 and 2/5 when respective drugs were used. No major side effects were observed. Pharmacolkinetical analysis of Adriamycin were performed in five patients after two to three treatments. The plasma concentration time-curves of Adriamycin were in most cases described by an open three-compartment model. The AUC (area under the curve) values for Adriamycin were 3.4 (median value 95% CI 2.9-5.1) times higher than for Adriamycinol. The reproducibility of the intra-arterial techniques was established by the repeated pharmacokinetic analysis. This technique seems to give lower AUC (mg/m2) when compared with earlier published intravenous data. The results indicate that tourniquet infusion chemotherapy produces a reasonable response, and that further evaluation with other drugs and comparison with isolation hyperthermic drug perfusion will be of interest.

The effect of hepatic artery ligation and intraarterial embolization was investigated in rats with liver tumors. Only a temporary reduction in tumor growth was registered after both procedures as compared to controls. There was a somewhat more pronounced effect in the ligated animals then in the embolized ones. No clear cut differences in the extent of tumor necrosis could be found between the groups at the end of the experimental period.

© 2017 The Author(s). Background: Compared to very low gestational age (