Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy: A Targeted Cancer Treatment

Chemotherapy is a drug-based cancer treatment designed to limit or kill malignant cells either locally or throughout the body. Intra-arterial chemotherapy is a localized treatment that seeks to halt cancer cells with minimal harmful impact on other body systems.

The Facts

• During intra-arterial chemotherapy, doctors supply chemo drugs directly to the artery responsible for providing cancer cells with a blood supply, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Artery Location

• To locate the proper artery, doctors use an X-ray technique called angiography, which utilizes a special injected dye to help visualize the artery's location, according to Chemocare.com.

Methods

• Doctors can administer intra-arterial chemotherapy either through a temporary catheter inserted in the proper artery or through a pump and associated catheter implanted between the skin and underlying muscle, reports Chemocare.com.

Uses

• Doctors most commonly use intra-arterial chemotherapy for the treatment of cancer that has spread from the colon to the liver, according to Chemocare.com. Additional potential applications include treatment of pancreatic and gastric cancers, limb sarcoma, and head and neck cancers.

Considerations

• The Liver Cancer Network notes that evidence for increased survival rates from intra-arterial chemotherapy is limited.