[Clinical benefit of bronchial arterial infusion chemotherapy to pulmonary metastasis from colorectal cancer--report of two cases].

Case 1: A 60-year-old woman with sigmoid colon cancer and multiple lung metastases developed dyspnea 34 months after sigmoidectomy and following systemic chemotherapy. Chest X-ray revealed left atelectasis and obstruction of the left main bronchus by lung metastasis, and stenosis of the right main bronchus was also suspected. Bronchial arterial infusion of CDDP, 5-FU and MMC relieved the atelectasis and dyspnea. The left bronchus remained patent for 12 months. Case 2: A 70-year-old man who had a pulmonary recurrence of rectal cancer suffered from hemoptysis and dyspnea, which had improved with systemic chemotherapy but then become exacerbated again. Bronchoscopic examination revealed intraluminal bleeding from a metastatic tumor. The symptoms were relieved after bronchial arterial infusion of CDDP, 5-FU and MMC. The diameter of the treated tumor was reduced by 15%. Hemoptysis was negligible until he died 8 months later. Bronchial arterial infusion chemotherapy for pulmonary metastasis from colorectal cancer is clinically beneficial, especially for patients with life-threatening respiratory symptoms like airway obstruction or intraluminal bleeding.