Percutaneous hepatic perfusion (PHP) is a regionalized, minimally-invasive approach to cancer treatment[1] currently undergoing Phase II and Phase III clinical testing.
PHP treats a variety of hepatic tumors by isolating the liver and exposing the organ to high-dose chemotherapy.
As demonstrated in clinical trials, patients treated by PHP can tolerate much higher doses of chemotherapeutic agents than those receiving traditional systemic chemotherapy without increased toxicities.
[citation needed] Using a system of catheters and filters, PHP isolates the liver from the circulatory system and infuses a chemotherapeutic agent directly to the liver via the hepatic artery.
PHP is a repeatable procedure and can be performed in an operating room or a radiology suite under local or general anesthesia.