Background: Liver metastases in patients with cancer are associated with poor survival. The authors of this report conducted a phase 1 study of hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) oxaliplatin combination therapy in patients with advanced cancer and liver metastases.
Methods: Treatment consisted of escalating doses of HAI oxaliplatin 60 mg/m(2) to 175 mg/m(2) and intra-arterial heparin 3000 IU (Day 1); leucovorin 200 mg/m(2) intravenously (iv) and 5-fluorouracil 300 mg/m(2) bolus plus 600 mg/m(2) iv (Days 1 and 2); and bevacizumab 10 mg/kg iv (Day 3). A conventional "3 + 3" design was used.
Results: Fifty-seven patients were treated, including 30 women and 27 men. The median age was 57 years, and the patients had received a median of 3 prior therapies (range, 1-7 prior therapies). The most common cancer was colorectal (n = 29). Overall, 204 cycles were administered (median per patient, 2 cycles; range, 1-17 cycles). The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of HAI oxaliplatin was 140 mg/m(2). Dose-limiting toxicities were grade 4 thrombocytopenia (n = 1) and grade 4 hypokalemia (n = 1) at 150 mg/m(2) (n = 5). Thirty-three patients (58%) had no toxicity greater than grade 1. The most common toxicities were thrombocytopenia (n = 19), fatigue (n = 15), nausea/vomiting (n = 6), constipation (n = 6), and diarrhea (n = 4). Of 55 patients who were evaluable for response (according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors), 4 patients (7%) had a partial response (PR), and 32 patients (58%) had stable disease (SD), including 15 patients (48%) who had SD for >/=4 months. Of 28 patients with colorectal cancer, 3 patients (11%) had a PR, and 9 patients (32%) had SD for >/=4 months.
Conclusions: HAI oxaliplatin combined with systemic 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and bevacizumab had antitumor activity in patients with advanced cancer and liver metastases, and the current results indicated that this combination warrants further study. Cancer 2010. (c) 2010 American Cancer Society.