A Resected Case of Unresectable Liver Metastases from Breast Cancer after Hepatic Infusion Chemotherapy

Yutaka Ozeki, Kenichiro Takeyama, Yasuhiro Sumi, Takuya Yamada, Michiya Bando, Masaki Azuma, Naomasa Yoshida, Kosuke Kasai and Yasutaka Oda

Department of Surgery, Tosei National Hospital

When a case with far advanced liver metatases from breast cancer was treated by hepatic infusion chemotherapy (HIC), the masses diminished in size and number and resection was performed. A 61-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of a large mass in the left breast. Under a diagnosis of breast cancer, a mastectomy was performed. Eight months later, multiple liver metastases were detected. Intermittent HIC with 5-fluorouracil 500 mg and carboplatin 100 mg were administered every two weeks. The masses were gradually diminished and were limited to the right lobe of the liver. Thirteen months after the start of HIC, right hepatic lobectomy was performed. Histologic examination of the liver masses revealed no viable tumor cells and indicated a successful response to HIC. However, the metastases recurred in the lung and brain 5 months after the hepatectomy. Although irradiation therapy was perforemed, she died 15 months after the hepatectomy.

Key words
hepatic arterial infusion, metastatic liver tumor, hepatectomy

Reprint requests
Yutaka Ozeki Department of Surgery, Tosei National Hospital 762-1 Nagasawa, Shimizu-cho, Sunto-gun, Shizuoka-ken, 411-8611 JAPAN

Accepted
November 13, 1998

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