2.2. Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC)

The left subclavian artery was cannulated with a catheter and the tip of the catheter was placed in the proper hepatic artery under fluoroscopic guidance before each course of chemotherapy.^[13] The main trunk of the gastroduodenal artery was occluded by metallic coil routinely. Continuous infusion of 5000 units (5cc) heparin solution daily was filled in the catheter for prevention of occlusion by thrombosis. Each course of treatment was 5 days. Cisplatin (10 mg/m²) and mitomycin-C (2 mg/m²) were dissolved in 50 ml isotonic sodium chloride solution which was infused for 20 to 30 minutes each time and continued for 5 days. In addition, 100 mg/ m² of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), dissolved in 250 ml of isotonic sodium chloride solution was administered for 24 hours by infusion pump for 5 days. Leucovorin (15 mg/m²) was given daily to improve the efficacy of 5-FU during HAIC. The interval between 2 courses of treatment was 3 to 4 weeks. Each patient received at least one session of treatment. Three-phase computed tomography (CT) scan of liver was done after every 2 courses of treatment. Termination of treatment when patients received 6 courses of treatment or until clinical conditions of the patients were not suitable for another course of HAIC.