Nuclear Oncology

Posts Tagged ‘Liver’

What is radioembolization

Radioembolization is a combination of radiation and a procedure called embolization to treat liver cancer.

Embolization is a minimally invasive treatment in which blood vessel malformation in the blood vessels are occluded or blocked to prevent the flow of blood.

Radiotherapy is the use of a certain type of energy called ionizing radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Unlike external beam therapy (EBT), in which beams of high energy X-rays generated by a machine are directed at the tumor from outside the body, radioembolization involves placing radioactive material directly into the body. This form of treatment is called internal radiation therapy.

In radioembolization, tiny pellets of glass or resin microspheres calls are placed inside the blood vessels feeding the tumor to block the blood supply to cancer cells. Once these microspheres, which are filled with the radioactive isotope Yttrium Y-90, staying at the tumor site deliver a high dose of radiation. Read the rest of this entry »

What is the Chemoembolization
Chemoembolization is a combination of local administration of chemotherapy and a procedure called embolization to treat cancer, particularly liver.

In chemoembolization, anticancer drugs are injected directly into the blood vessel that feeds a cancerous tumor. In addition, a synthetic material called embolic agent is placed inside the blood vessels that supply blood to the tumor, trapping effect of chemotherapy in the tumor.

Some common uses of the procedure

Chemoembolization is most effective in patients with cancer confined to the liver, either primary tumor or from another organ (metastasis).

Some cancers can be treated with chemoembolization include:

* Heptocelular hepatoma carcinoma (primary liver cancer)
* Metastasis (spread) to the liver from: Read the rest of this entry »