Non-Surgical Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatments
Treating HCC with Interventional Radiology
The procedures our IR doctors use to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are part of a medical specialty called Interventional Radiology (IR). This refers to the use of radiological image guidance to precisely target and treat a range of medical conditions and diseases.
Interventional radiologists are doctors who are specially trained to do minimally invasive vascular procedures, such as angioplasty and embolization, to treat a variety of conditions.
When treating HCC, each patient is evaluated, and the treatment approach is individualized for the patient's circumstances. The next section discusses three treatment options for HCC.
Procedures That
Directly Target Liver Cancer
Microwave Ablation:
Uses imaging guidance and a special needle to generate electromagnetic microwaves that can heat and destroy the tumor.
Transarterial Chemoembolization (TACE):
Uses imaging guidance and a catheter to inject particles coated with chemotherapeutic drugs into an artery directly supplying the tumor. These particles both block the blood supply and attack the tumor in several ways.
Yttrium-90 Radioembolization:
Uses imaging guidance and a catheter to inject particles coated with the radioactive isotope Yttrium-90 into an artery directly supplying the tumor. These particles emit local radiation that can cause tumor cells to die.
