Delcath Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: DCTH) shares rose 8.5% to $3.96 after it said its experimental cancer treatment showed promising results in a mid-stage trial. Volume for the stock approached 315,000 as noon ET closed in; its all-day average is around 861,000.

A Reuters article published Monday noted that the study included four patient cohorts — hepatobiliary cancers, and metastatic cancers of neuroendocrine, ocular or cutaneous melanoma, and colorectal origins — but responses to the treatment were most encouraging for hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common primary cancer of the liver.

“We believe these results show a strong signal of efficacy, and support our plan to initiate Phase III and Phase IV trials for HCC in the second half of 2012,” Chief Executive Eamonn Hobbs was quoted in the article as saying.

Delcath is developing a chemosaturation system that is designed to administer high dose chemotherapy drugs to only the diseased organs or regions of the body, thereby restricting the harsh effects of chemo drugs on other body organs.

Delcath, headquartered in midtown Manhattan, is a development-stage, specialty pharmaceutical and medical device company focused on oncology. We’re researching breakthroughs in regional chemotherapies with the goal of improving clinical outcomes and potentially reducing drug-related adverse events.