Efficacy of intraarterial chemoinfusion therapy for locally advanced breast cancer patients: a retrospective analysis of 28 cases

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcome of image-guided delivery of intraarterially infused chemotherapeutic drugs for patients with locally advanced breast cancer. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with pathologically proven, locally advanced breast cancer received intraarterial chemoinfusion therapy (chemoinfusion) with docetaxel 75 mg/m(2) and epirubicin 50 mg/m(2). Digital subtraction angiography was performed to determine tumor arterial blood supply and to guide chemotherapy infusion. Patients were evaluated for complete remission (CR) and partial remission (PR). RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients received a total of 64 intraarterial chemoinfusions, 20 patients (71.4%) received two infusions, and eight patients (28.6%) received three infusions. One patient (3.6%) had CR and 23 (82.1%) had PR. The total effectiveness rate (CR and PR) was 85.7% (24/28). All stage 3 patients underwent Phase II surgical resection after chemoinfusion, and the surgical resection participation rate was 100% (26/26). The mean time from the first chemoinfusion to surgery was 2 ± 1.2 months. Two patients with stage 4 cancer died of distant metastasis and cachexia, and the remaining 26 patients were still alive. CONCLUSION: Intraarterial chemoinfusion is a safe and effective therapy, achieving down-staging in a relatively short period for locally advanced breast cancer.