A clinical trial of arterial infusion chemotherapy combined with calcium antagonist for liver metastases

Calcium antagonists enhance the effect of some anticancer agents, but only limited administration is feasible because of their cardiovascular action. We noticed their inactivation in liver and investigated the possibility of combined intra-arterial chemotherapy. Both verapamil (0.5 mg/kg) and adriamycin were infused into hepatic artery in 8 patients with liver metastases. The serum concentration of verapamil in hepatic vein was 182 +/- 178 ng/ml at maximum. Blood pressures, heart rates and electrocardiograms were quite stable. Tumors became nearly necrotic after the therapy in three hepatectomized cases. A more appropriate dose, infusion method and prognosis should be studied in future.