Which regional route administers chemotherapy via arteries to target a specific organ?

Which regional route administers chemotherapy via arteries to target a specific organ?

• A. Intraarterial
• B. Intraperitoneal
• C. Intravesical
• D. Intrathecal

Answer: (A)

Regional chemotherapy targets a specific organ by delivering drugs directly through its arterial blood supply. By infusing chemotherapy via the arteries that feed that organ, a high local drug concentration can be achieved where the tumor resides, while limiting systemic exposure and toxicity. The intraarterial route uses a catheter placed in an artery to deliver the drug right into the organ’s blood supply, and is commonly used for organs like the liver with selective or super-selective arterial infusion to maximize tumor kill. Other routes deliver the drug into body cavities or spaces rather than directly into the organ’s arterial circulation: into the peritoneal cavity for peritoneal surfaces, into the bladder for bladder-targeted therapy, or into the cerebrospinal fluid around the spinal cord for central nervous system involvement. These routes expose the organ surfaces or surrounding spaces rather than delivering primarily via its arterial supply, so they are not the arterial regional approach described here.

Regional chemotherapy targets a specific organ by delivering drugs directly through its arterial blood supply. By infusing chemotherapy via the arteries that feed that organ, a high local drug concentration can be achieved where the tumor resides, while limiting systemic exposure and toxicity. The intraarterial route uses a catheter placed in an artery to deliver the drug right into the organ’s blood supply, and is commonly used for organs like the liver with selective or super-selective arterial infusion to maximize tumor kill.

Other routes deliver the drug into body cavities or spaces rather than directly into the organ’s arterial circulation: into the peritoneal cavity for peritoneal surfaces, into the bladder for bladder-targeted therapy, or into the cerebrospinal fluid around the spinal cord for central nervous system involvement. These routes expose the organ surfaces or surrounding spaces rather than delivering primarily via its arterial supply, so they are not the arterial regional approach described here.