Efficacy of raltitrexed combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in treatment of advanced colorectal cancer with liver metastasis

Objective To investigate the efficacy of raltitrexed combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization( TACE) in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer with liver metastasis. Methods A total of 80 patients with liver metastasis of advanced colorectal cancer who were admitted to Central Hospital of China National Petroleum Corporation and underwent surgery from January 2012 to June 2015 were enrolled and randomly divided into study group and control group,with 40 patients in each group. The patients in the study group underwent hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy with raltitrexed combined with TACE,and those in the control group were treated with intravenous infusion of raltitrexed alone. The above treatment was performed once every 4 weeks for 3- 6 cycles. The response rate( RR),disease control rate( DCR),median time to disease progression,survival rate,and reductions in carcinoembryonic antigen( CEA),CA19- 9,aminotransferases,and bilirubin were observed in the two groups. The chi- square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups.Results RR,DCR,and the median time to disease progression showed significant differences between the study group and the control group( 45. 0% vs 22. 5%,χ~2= 4. 528,P = 0. 033; 70. 0% vs 47. 5%,χ~2= 4. 178,P = 0. 041; 17. 9 months vs 10. 5 months,χ~2=24. 08,P < 0. 001). The study group had significantly higher 1- and 2- year survival rates than the control group( 80. 0% vs 57. 5%,χ~2= 4. 713,P = 0. 030; 55. 0% vs 32. 5%,χ~2= 4. 114,P = 0. 043). The study group had a significantly higher number of patients with more than 50% reductions in CA19- 9,CEA,aminotransferases,and bilirubin at 2 months after TACE than the control group( χ~2= 5. 333,4. 528,5. 051,and 5. 013,P = 0. 021,0. 033,0. 025,and 0. 025). Conclusion Raltitrexed combined with TACE is of good value in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer with liver metastasis and holds promise for clinical application.