[Tissue effects of intra-arterial chemotherapy in pelvilingual cancers and their lymphatic metastases (Apropos of 47 cases)].

Forty-seven patients with pelvi-lingual (mostly T4) cancers treated bAE intra-arteri chemotherapy (I.A.C.) were studied histologiccaly to discover the effects of the chemotherapy. The results observed were classified according to a six degree histological scale ranging from total absence of tumoral regression to complete involution of the cancer. The product used, dosage, time lapse, clinical regression and histological formula were compared with the histological findings. The results were also compared with those obtained with other pelvilingual cancers treated by radiation and primary surgery and with cancers of the facial masse after I.A.C. In the event, 10 tumours remained unchanged after I.A.C., 30 showed more or less marked changes and 7 completely regressed. Furthermore, the metastatic ganglia underwent the same involution as the primary tumour. A survey of survival in relation to tumoral regression, showed that, after a sufficient time lapse, of the 17 patients with considerable tumoral modification, 11 were in a satisfactory condition after 4 or 5 years (65%). Pelvi-lingual cancers are therefore a good indication for I.A.C. which gives very encouraging results.