It is impossible to judge on the results of a treatment without knowing the natural history of hepatic metastases. A study was done on 60 out of the 921 patients who were discharged from the Clínicas Hospital, Montevideo, with such diagnosis. The median survival time of those patients was 48 days. Survival is longer in the patients who have the primary tumor in colon than in those who have it in the stomachor the biliary tree. Jaundice and ascitis decrease the survival time of the patients with metastatic liver cancer. The method of intrarterial liver infusions with chemotherapeutic agents is described. Results of the procedure are discussed. Good palliation was obtained in 38 % of the cases, as well as an increasing in survival time.

No se puede juzgar el resultado de un tratamiento sin conocer la historia natural de las metástasis hepáticas. Se comprueba que la sobrevida media de 60 de los 921 pacientes egresados del Hospital de Clínicas de Montevideo con tal diagnóstico es de 48 días. Es mayor esa sobrevida en neoplasmas originados en colon que en estómago o vías biliares. La presencia de ictericia o ascitis reduce esa sobrevida. Se estudia el método de infusión intraarterial hepática con agentes antineoplásicos, fundamentalmente el 5-FU. Se analizan los resultados, observando quese lograron resultados paliativos francos en un 38 %, así como un aumento del tiempo de sobrevida.