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Radiation Therapy For Liver Cancer - Healthline
Radiation therapy is used to treat tumors of the liver that can't be removed with surgery and that are too large for other treatment options. Radiation therapy alone isn't a cure for liver cancer, but it has been shown to improve survival.
Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high energy beams to kill cancer cells and destroy tumors. It isn't typically one of the first treatment options used for liver cancer. However, it can be a good option for tumors that can't be removed with surgery and that are too large for other treatments, such as ablation or embolization.
Radiation therapy is painless and can be done in quick outpatient sessions. Most side effects are mild and will fade within a few weeks after radiation is complete.
In this article, we review how radiation therapy is used to treat liver cancer, including what the procedure is like, possible side effects, and success rates.
Radiation therapy is used for many types of cancer. It uses high energy beams to kill cancer cells and help stop the spread of cancer.
It isn't used as often for liver cancer as it is for some types of cancer. While it is not typically one of the first treatment choices, it is an option that can be very beneficial for some people.
Radiation therapy is a good option for people who have liver cancer tumors that are unable to be removed with treatments such as surgery, embolization, or ablation.
It can also be an option when liver cancer has spread beyond the liver and into the bones or other parts of the body. Other times radiation therapy might be used include:
Receiving radiation therapy is typically painless. It is similar to receiving an X-ray and is done as an outpatient procedure in a hospital or clinic.
Radiation treatments only take about 15 minutes. Some types of radiation are given 5 days a week for several weeks, while other forms and doses of radiation can be completed in 5–10 sessions. Your doctor will let you know which form of radiation you're having.
Before your first radiation treatment, you'll have a preparation appointment. At this appointment, you'll have imaging tests such as CT scans and ultrasounds to pinpoint the exact location of the tumor. A radiation therapist might use a skin marker or another tool to indicate where to aim the radiation machine during your treatments.
During treatment, you'll lie on a cushioned table, and the radiation machine will aim beams at your liver. From the next room, a radiation therapist will observe you and guide the machine. You'll be able to talk to them through an intercom and let them know if you feel any discomfort.
Radiation therapy has been used to work against cancer for decades. When used to treat liver cancer, it can help destroy tumors that are unable to be removed and that are too big to be destroyed using ablation. However, despite these benefits, the procedure does have possible side effects and risks.
The possible side effects of radiation treatment for liver cancer include:
Typically, these side effects are temporary. Most people see relief within a few weeks of stopping radiation treatment.
RILD normally develops 3–4 months after radiation treatment. When severe, it can be fatal. Inform your doctor right away if you've had radiation treatment and notice any unusual symptoms.
Radiation therapy for liver cancer is typically used in the later stages of liver cancer and when other treatments have not been successful. It's not typically a first-line treatment, and it's not used with the intent to completely cure liver cancer.
However, research from 2019 demonstrates that radiation therapy improves survival, even in people with liver cancer that has spread. Individual success is influenced by factors such as age, overall health, stage of cancer, response to treatment, and current liver function.
Radiation therapy uses high energy beams to kill cancer cells. As a treatment for liver cancer, it can help destroy tumors that can't be surgically removed and that are too large for other treatment options, such as ablation or embolization.
Radiation therapy is done in quick outpatient sessions and may be painless. Typical side effects include nausea, loss of appetite, and skin reactions. For most people, side effects resolve within a few weeks after the end of radiation treatments.
Radiation isn't a cure for liver cancer, but it has been shown to improve survival, especially when used alongside other treatment options.
Liver Regeneration After Portal And Hepatic Vein Embolization Improves ...
Institutions Authors Share Maastricht University Medical Center+ (Maastricht UMC+), Netherlands5.000000
0.18 Maastricht University (UM), Netherlands4.666667
0.17 University Hospital Aachen (UKA), RWTH Aachen, Germany3.500000
0.13 Rush University Medical Center, United States of America (USA)3.250000
0.12 Cantonal Hospital of Winterthur (KSW), Switzerland3.000000
0.11 University Hospital Frankfurt, GU, Germany2.500000
0.09 McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), Canada2.000000
0.07 CHU Dinant Godinne, Belgium1.000000
0.04 University Hospital of Liege, Belgium1.000000
0.04 Essen University Hospital, Germany0.833333
0.03 University of Zurich (UZH), Switzerland0.750000
0.03 Klinik Hirslanden, Switzerland0.250000
0.01 Hospital St. Anna, Switzerland0.250000
0.01Y90 Treatment For Liver Cancer: Candidates, Success, Outlook - Healthline
Y90 radioembolization involves placing radioactive capsules into the blood vessel feeding your tumor. It's primarily used for cancer that can't be treated with surgery or a liver transplant.
Each year, about 700,000 people worldwide receive a liver cancer diagnosis and about 600,000 people die from this type of cancer. Liver cancer tends to progress silently until it grows large or spreads. Most people with liver cancer are not eligible for potentially curative treatments such as surgery or a liver transplant.
Yttrium-90 (Y90) radioembolization, or selective internal radiotherapy, is an alternative treatment option for liver cancer that can't be cured with typical treatments. The procedure involves placing radioactive beads into a blood vessel near your liver to block your tumor's blood supply and destroy its cells.
Some research suggests that Y90 radioembolization may help increase the survival time of some people who have liver cancer that can't be surgically removed.
Read on to learn more about how Y90 radioembolization is used to treat liver cancer.
Radioembolization is a combination of two techniques:
Researchers have been studying the effectiveness and safety of Y90 radioembolization since the 1960s. It has become a common treatment to help manage liver cancer or cancer that has spread to the liver that can't be surgically removed.
Y90 radioembolization is a minimally invasive procedure that involves placing small glass or resin radioactive spheres into a blood vessel that's supplying your tumor. Healthcare professionals insert the beads into your artery through a tube called a catheter.
These spheres travel through your blood vessel until they reach the tumor and emit radiation. This radiation travels a very short distance and primarily damages cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.
Y90 radioembolization is a treatment option for people with liver cancer that can't be treated with surgery or a liver transplant. It may also be administered to people who are awaiting a liver transplant to keep their cancer from spreading.
Compared to other treatments
Radiofrequency ablation is often the first treatment recommended for these tumors. It uses heat to destroy cancer cells. If radiofrequency ablation can't be performed, the next treatment option is TACE, which involves blocking the hepatic artery and delivering chemotherapy medications.
TACE is also the standard of care for people with intermediate stage liver cancer. Y90 radioembolization is a potential alternative treatment.
Researchers are continuing to compare the effectiveness of Y90 radioembolization to that of other treatments. Clinical trials are ongoing.
SARAH trial
The 2017 phase 3 SARAH trial compared the effectiveness of Y90 radioembolization to that of the targeted therapy drug sorafenib for treating people with locally advanced or intermediate stage liver cancer after unsuccessful treatment with TACE.
The median overall survival didn't significantly vary between groups. The group that received sorafenib had slightly higher rates of serious complications.
SIRveNIB trial
In a 2018 phase 3 clinical trial, researchers again compared Y90 radioembolization to sorafenib for people with locally advanced liver cancer.
As in the SARAH trial, overall survival didn't significantly differ between the groups.
SORAMIC trial
In the phase 2 SORAMIC trial, researchers compared the effectiveness of sorafenib and Y90 radioembolization combined to the effectiveness of sorafenib alone.
They found that the addition of Y90 radioembolization didn't improve overall survival. However, they did find evidence that it may improve survival in some of the subgroups they analyzed, such as:
The survival rate for liver cancer in general is low. From 2012 to 2018, the 5-year relative survival rates in the United States were:
People who receive Y90 radioembolization tend to have low overall survival rates since they usually are not eligible for surgery. Studies have reported 1- and 2-year median survival rates around 80% and 65%, respectively, for people treated with Y90 radioembolization.
In the SARAH trial, half the people who received Y90 radioembolization with locally advanced or intermediate stage liver cancer after unsuccessful treatment with TACE survived at least 8 months. Half of those who received sorafenib lived for 9.9 months.
In the SIRveNIB trial, half the people with locally advanced liver cancer who received Y90 radioembolization survived 8.8 months, while those who received sorafenib survived 10 months.
A 2020 study found that the median survival was 27.2 months for people with metastatic liver-dominant neuroendocrine tumors who received Y90 radioembolization in the Canadian province of British Columbia.
Factors that influence liver cancer outlook
Factors that have been associated with a less favorable outlook in people who received Y90 radioembolization include:
Y90 radioembolization is a liver cancer treatment option that involves injecting radioactive beads into a blood vessel that supplies the tumor. These beads release waves of energy that damage the cancer cells while leaving healthy cells largely undamaged.
Your doctor is most likely to recommend Y90 radioembolization if you have cancer that can't be cured with surgery or a liver transplant. They may also recommend alternative treatments such as TACE or radiofrequency ablation.
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