Clinical application of arterial infusion of gemcitabine by using a pump with fixed injection rate in treating advanced pancreatic cancer

Objective: To discuss the clinical application of arterial infusion of gemcitabine by using a pump with fixed injection rate in treating advanced pancreatic cancer. Methods: A total of 91 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, who had received intravenous infusion chemotherapy of gemcitabine alone or had received arterial infusion of gemcitabine by using a pump with fixed injection rate, were collected, and their clinical data were analyzed. After each treatment cycle, the patient's survival time, changes in the lesion's volume, clinical benefit response and hematologic toxicity were evaluated. Result: No statistically significant difference in hematologic toxicity existed between the treatment scheme of arterial gemcitabine infusion with a rate-fixed pump and the 30 min standard infusion scheme. In the patients who were treated with arterial infusion of 1000 mg/m² gemcitabine at the injection rate of 10 mg·m^-2·min^-1 by using a rate-fixed pump, the survival was prolonged and both the clinical benefits and CR + PR were significantly improved; when compared with those in patients who were treated with 30 min standard infusion scheme, the differences were statistically significant. Conclusion: In treating advanced pancreatic cancer, arterial infusion of 1000 mg/m² gemcitabine at the injection rate of 10 mg·m^-2·min^-1 is safe and effective. This treatment scheme can improve the quality of life of patients and prolong the survival time. (authors)