Hepatic arterial infusion
The UK Markey Cancer Center was the first hospital in Kentucky to offer hepatic arterial infusion. With this innovative approach, we’re bringing renewed hope to those living with certain cancers that affect the liver.
This treatment sends a high dose of chemotherapy directly into the liver’s blood supply. A small pump placed under the skin delivers the treatment.
Because the drugs go directly into the liver, you can get a higher dose of chemotherapy than with traditional chemotherapy. This means people with certain liver and colon cancers can live longer than they would with regular chemotherapy alone. And, for some, hepatic arterial infusion can be a possible cure.
Why choose Markey for hepatic arterial infusion?
When you choose Markey, you get:
- High-volume expertise: We’ve performed more than 100 hepatic artery pump procedures. That kind of depth and expertise is something you’ll find only at one of the nation’s top programs like Markey.
- National recognition: Markey is Kentucky’s National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. This NCI designation recognizes top-tier cancer centers that offer exceptional patient care and research programs.
- Personalized care: You’re not a number here. We develop personalized treatment plans tailored to your unique cancer. Our experts also meet regularly to adjust your treatments. They work to ensure you are on the most effective path.
- Research-backed treatments: Cancer treatment at Markey is backed by our leading role in clinical trials. Here, you have access to the most advanced and innovative therapies often before they become widely available.
What is hepatic arterial infusion?
With hepatic artery infusion, chemotherapy goes directly into your hepatic artery through a pump. The liver processes the chemo drug, with little of it reaching the rest of the body. This reduces any side effects.
Many patients get hepatic artery infusion combined with chemotherapy through a port that goes through the whole body.
We use hepatic arterial infusion to treat several types of cancer:
- Colon cancer that has spread to the liver (metastatic or stage IV colon cancer).
- Cancer that started in the bile duct of the liver and can’t be removed by surgery (unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma or bile duct cancer).
Treatment goals will depend on your overall health and the type and extent of your cancer. If you have metastatic colon cancer, the goal may be to give you more years or to potentially cure colon cancer that has spread to your liver.
We use hepatic arterial infusion to:
- Treat patients with liver tumors that can’t be removed by surgery.
- Shrink tumors in the liver and make it possible to perform surgery in the future.
- Prevent tumors completely removed by surgery from returning.
- Extend life and, in some cases, shrink tumors enough for complete removal in patients with bile duct cancer.
Who is a candidate for hepatic arterial infusion?
We assess you to decide if it is safe to give you hepatic arterial infusion. We weigh these factors:
- The health of your liver and your overall wellbeing
- How much chemotherapy you’ve had recently (to see if your body can handle the treatment)
- The anatomy of your liver and hepatic artery (pumps won’t work in some people)
- How far the cancer has spread beyond the colon or liver
How does hepatic arterial infusion work?
The hepatic arterial infusion pump (HAIP) is a device about the size of a biscuit or hockey puck. We typically implant it into the fatty tissue on the left side of your abdomen.
A long internal tube goes from the pump into the hepatic artery. This is an artery in your abdomen that supplies the liver with oxygenated blood. The HAIP delivers a steady flow of chemotherapy into your liver every day. This usually lasts around five to six months.
Placing the device is a major operation. You will be in the hospital about five days after the surgery. Most people don’t notice the device much once it’s in place.
We refill the chemo medicine in the pump every 14 days. The refill is simple. But the dosing for the chemotherapy drug is complex and must be done at Markey.
We are developing a clinical trial that will allow cancer specialists at some community hospitals to provide pump chemotherapy, which is based on liver function and other factors.
What are the side effects?
You and your treatment team will weigh any possible side effects against the potential benefits of hepatic arterial infusion. Side effects may include:
- Pain
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Damage to the bile duct
Your Markey treatment team
At Markey, our experienced team includes:
- Surgical oncologists who implant the hepatic artery infusion pumps, manage issues with pumps or surgery and work with colorectal surgeons who either remove the primary colon tumor (colon cancer only) or manage bowel blockages
- Medical oncologists who administer chemotherapy, monitor side effects, adjust dosages as needed and coordinate with the surgical oncology team to monitor the effects of therapy on the cancer
- Pharmacists who carefully prepare chemotherapy drugs and assist the oncologist with drug dose adjustment
- Experienced infusion nurses who safely access the pumps and monitor the patients for complications during treatment
- Diagnostic radiologists who use imaging to ensure the pumps operate correctly and interventional radiologists who manage rare potential complications with blood vessels
- Gastrointestinal doctors who address any GI issues
- A research team investigating the latest potential treatments
About the HAI Program
The UK hepatic arterial infusion pump program was co-founded and is currently directed by Drs. Michael Cavnar (surgical oncology), Reema Patel (medical oncology) and Scott Ellis (pharmacist). For a full list of HAI providers, please see below.
