Regional chemotherapy through a saphenous vein graft for the treatment of head and neck cancers

Abstract

Regional chemotherapy was given through a vein grafted between the common carotid and external carotid arteries to 20 patients who had a variety of advanced head and neck cancers. The objective response rate was 73.6%, which included 36.8% complete response. The medium duration of response was more than 10 months. The toxicity was mild and well tolerated. The complication rate associated with the procedure was low. This form of regional chemotherapy has significant advantages over the conventional form that uses durgs given through the retrograde temporal artery because the catheter-related complications are eliminated, the perfusion of the tumor can be maintained consistently, and, consequently, the response rate is high and the duration of response is increased.