Continuous infusion of fluorouracil into portal vein after curative resection of colorectal cancer

This controlled trial of continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) into the portal vein was carried out in 37 hospitals to reduce liver metastasis relapse prophylaxis and to obtain a better survival rate of patients with colorectal cancer after curative surgery. Three hundred nineteen patients were randomly selected to participate in two trials (colon and rectal cancer cases respectively), and 290 eases were analyzed. One group receiving continuous infusion of 5-FU (320 mg/m²/day) into portal vein during the first 7 postoperative days was p.o. administrated UFT for one year, and the other group was p.o. administrated UFT alone for one year. There were no significant differences between the two groups, and toxic reactions were mild in both groups. There were no reduction in liver metastases, increased overall survival, and increased disease-free survival in active treatment of the study five years after continuous infusion of fluouracil into the portal vein.