[Evaluation of intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy for liver metastases and lymph node metastases from gastric cancer--comparative analysis for intra-arterial group and non-intra-arterial group].

We evaluated the effects of intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy for liver metastases and lymph node metastases of gastric cancer. Of 410 patients undergoing gastrectomy in our department from July 1993 to December 2000, 29 (7.1%) had liver metastases. Intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy was carried out for 15 patients with liver metastases and 10 patients with lymph node metastases. There were 11 patients with liver metastases evaluated as follows: PR 5, NC 2, PD 4. Two patients with lymph node metastases were PR. In a comparison between the intra-arterial and non-intra-arterial chemotherapy group, it was observed among the patients with synchronous liver metastases that the survival period of the intra-arterial group was significantly longer than that of the non-intra-arterial group (p = 0.0164 logrank test). On the supposition that the survival period is counted from the day of computed tomography metachronous liver metastases was detected, in all liver metastases patients, the survival period of the intra-arterial group was significantly longer (p = 0.0212 logrank test). These results showed that the intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy is a useful treatment for gastric cancer patients with liver metastases.