Abstract: Objective: To suggest a more effective method for treatment of rectal cancer metastasis to the liver. Methods: Ninety-nine cases with liver metastases from colorectal cancer were randomly divided into groups that received local celiac artery infusion with hepatic artery embolization chemotherapy (CAIHAEC) or venous chemotherapy (VC). Fifty-two cases were in the CAIHAEC group.The second CAIHAEC treatment was administered 4 weeks after the first treatment. After that the CAI-HAEC treatments were performed every 2 or 3 months. Forty-seven cases were in the VC group. Their procedures were repeated every 3 weeks. Results: After 3 months, the percentage of patients in the CAIHAEC group whose upper abdominal pain was relieved or disappeared was 70.6%, and in 55.8% of these patients the liver masses became smaller. After 3 months, the percentage of patients in the VCgroup who reported that the pain in the hepatic area was relieved or disappeared was 20%, but only10.6% of these patients had liver masses that become smaller. One-, 2-, and 3- year survival rates for the CAIHAEC group were 80.8%, 46.2%, and 25.0%, respectively; 1-, 2-, and 3- year survival rates for the VC group were 61.7%, 19.1%, and 4.3%, respectively (P<0.01). Conclusion: To treat colorectal liver metastases, CAIHAEC is more reliable for relieving clinical symptoms and prolonging survival when compared with VC. It is a better palliative treatment for unresectable colorectal liver metastases.