Hepatic Artery Infusion Therapy

Illustration of how HAI therapy works
Illustration of how HAI therapy works

The Division of Surgical Oncology is a veteran in treating metastatic colorectal cancer to the liver with hepatic artery infusion (HAI) therapy that delivers chemotherapy directly to the tumors from a pump implanted in the abdomen.

Clinical trials have demonstrated that HAI therapy — using floxuridine combined with systemic chemotherapy — increases survival rates for liver-predominant diseases, benefitting patients:

  • With unresectable colorectal liver metastases (CLM)
  • Following resection of CLM
  • With unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHC)

Local delivery of chemotherapy results in higher (up to 400 times more) concentrations in the tumors than delivery through a vein. WIth HAI therapy, the healthy parts of your liver continue to receive blood from a separate blood vessel, the portal vein. Thus, the treatment avoids damaging normal tissue and minimizes side effects elsewhere in your body.

Contact City of Hope today to determine if HAI therapy is the right treatment for you.