Transcatheter arterial embolization as a method of cisplatin-retention enhancement on the VX2 tumor uterus transplants.

PURPOSE: Enhanced cisplatin (Pt) retention using transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TAE) with Gelfoam particles was studied in rabbit uterine tumors.

METHODS

Ten rabbit uteri were inoculated with 5 x 10(7) cells of VX2 carcinoma. Three to four weeks later cisplatin, 1 mg/kg, was injected, either with (TAE group) or without (IA group) being mixed with small Gelfoam particles, into the aortic bifurcation over 5 s. Blood and tissue concentration of cisplatin were determined.

RESULTS

Slower arterial blood clearance of Pt was observed in the TAE group compared with the IA group, whereas the venous blood Pt clearance curves were similar for both groups. The uterine tumor Pt concentration at 80 min was found to be 2.52-fold higher after TAE compared with IA (p < 0.01). In the pelvic metastatic lymph nodes, the Pt concentration was 4.63 times higher after TAE than after IA (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

These data indicate that TAE is an effective means of increasing tissue concentration in uterine tumors.