Implantable Hepatic Artery Infusion Pump Delivers Targeted Chemotherapy for Inoperable Tumors

Colorectal cancer ranks fourth in causing cancer-related deaths in the U.S. For up to 25% of patients diagnosed with this disease, the cancer metastasizes to the liver, where it becomes challenging to treat. Now, an innovative chemotherapy delivery system can help colorectal cancer patients with inoperable liver tumors due to metastasis. This breakthrough treatment minimizes toxic exposure and makes surgical interventions feasible for some patients with colon cancer metastasized to the liver.

Intera Oncology’s (Boston, MA, USA) Intera 3000 HAI Pump is the only FDA-approved pump for Hepatic Artery Infusion (HAI) therapy for the treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer confined to the liver) and colorectal cancer liver metastases. The palm-sized Intera 3000 HAI Pump is implanted in the abdomen and continuously delivers chemotherapy directly to the hepatic artery, which feeds metastatic tumors in the liver. Patients undergoing HAI therapy can maintain their everyday activities with minimal disruption. Remarkably, the Intera 3000 HAI Pump provides up to 400 times the concentration of medication to liver tumors compared to conventional IV administration.

Image: Intera 3000 is the only FDA-approved pump for HAI therapy (Photo courtesy of Intera Oncology)

This therapy is ideal for patients with widespread metastatic disease, where curative surgery is not initially feasible. Previously, the best treatment option for these patients was lifelong chemotherapy, which carries potential systemic toxicities and rarely shrinks the tumor size to operable levels. The Intera 3000 HAI Pump offers an alternative, liver-focused treatment that could potentially make patients eligible for surgery by specifically targeting liver disease. Since most of these tumors draw their blood supply from the hepatic arterial system, delivering chemotherapy through this system allows for higher doses of specific chemotherapeutic agents without exposing the patient to their systemic toxicities.

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Intera Oncology