Intra-arterial hepatic chemotherapy combined with systemic infusion of 5-FU in patients with advanced biliary tract cancers

4197 Background: The prognosis of advanced biliary tract cancer (ABTC) is very poor. Common systemic chemotherapy (CHT) have been reported to produce transient partial remission only in a small proportion of patients (PTS). Aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of regional CHT combined with systemic CHT in PTS with ABTC. Methods: From January 2000 to May 2003, we treated 26 PTS with the combination of intra-arterial CHT (epirubicin 50 mg/sqm and cisplatin 60 mg/sqm, infused bolus by angiographic catheter introduced in proper hepatic artery, with Seldinger technique, on day 1) and e.v. continuous infusion of 5-FU 200 mg/sqm/day, from day 1 to day 14. Cycles were repeated every 3 weeks. 13 PTS were male; median age was 65 years (49–75); performance status was 0–1 in 17 PTS, 2 in 9 PTS; all had hystological confirmed ABTC; 21 PTS had cholangiocarcinoma and 5 PTS had gallbladder carcinoma, with liver involvement > 50% in 10 and < 50% in 16 PTS; three PTS ha peritoneal involvement, 3 had pleural m...