A case of advanced gallbladder cancer responding to neoadjuvant intra-arterial chemotherapy

The patient was a 52-year-old female who had been diagnosed as advanced gall bladder cancer by various imaging studies. The cancer responded to neoadjuvant intra-arterial chemotherapy and was curatively resected. Since cancer had invaded the median widely, the posterior and the lateral segments of the liver according to CT imaging, neoadjuvant chemotherapy was used. The combination chemotherapy included intra-arterial chemotherapy (CDDP 10 mg + 5-FU 250 mg/day/week x5 times, EPI 10 mg + 5-FU 250 mg/day/week x3 times) through the hepatic artery and oral chemotherapy (UFT 300 mg/day for 106 days). No severe side effects were found during this chemotherapy. Imaging studies after the chemotherapy showed a partial response (PR) and curative resection (hepato-pancreato-duodenectomy with regional lymph nodes dissection) could be performed successfully. She has been disease-free without any sign of recurrence for 18 months after surgery. We conclude that this combination chemotherapy will be useful for advanced gall bladder cancer if the appropriate combinations, dosages, and administration routes are chosen.