Embolization & Radioembolization for Liver Cancer

Many patients cannot have surgery because their cancer is too advanced or because of an underlying liver disease such as cirrhosis. In some cases, tumors may be so small that non-surgical treatments may be equally effective.

Our team performs minimally invasive therapies that use imaging techniques such as CT, ultrasound, and MRI to guide the delivery of treatments directly to the tumor site. These therapies may be used alone, with other minimally invasive therapies, prior to surgery, or in combination with chemotherapy.
 

Patients who undergo minimally invasive therapies experience a significantly shorter hospital stay and recovery compared with surgery patients.

Embolization & Radioembolization (Y90)
City of Hope’s interventional radiologists offer a variety of safe and effective procedures that use CT scans and ultrasound to guide the delivery of treatments directly to the tumor site, without making an incision. Our team is experienced in identifying patients who will most benefit from therapies such as embolization, which shrinks tumors by blocking their supporting blood vessels.

The hepatic artery is the main source of blood for most liver tumors. Embolization involves injecting tiny particles through a small tube, or catheter, threaded into the hepatic artery. The particles block the flow of blood to the tumor, depriving it of the nutrients and oxygen it needs to survive. Embolization also can be used to deliver particles that are laced with chemotherapy drugs, such as doxorubicin.

Back to the liver cancer program .