Basic study on hepatic artery chemoembolization using temperature-sensitive liposome for treatment of hapatic tumor

—formation of embolus with liposome in hepatic artery—

Abstract

We have tried chemoembolization therapy of hepatic artery for hepatic tumor-bearing rats using temperature-sensitive liposome containing adriamycin with local hyperthermia. In this report, first, the formation of embolus of liposome with about 1 μm diameter injected into hepatic artery was confirmed using selective angiography by soft X-ray imaging. The embolization of hepatic artery continued over 2 days. Next, the site of embolus was investigated using a stereoscopic microscope with liposomes containing a dye, methylene blue. The embolus was mostly in hepatic artery. In some cases, the embolus distributed in sinusoid at hepatic lobule. A lack of blood stream at places in the hepatic lobule was also observed.