It’s estimated that liver cancer will soon become the second leading cause of cancer-related death in men and the third leading cause of cancer-related death in women in the United States. Liver cancer can be treated through surgery, but this may not always be possible due to the location of the tumor or the size of the tumor itself. Instead, many patients opt for chemotherapy or radiation therapy, although both of these approaches have their drawbacks — namely, side effects.
Who needs it?
Chemoembolization, sometimes called hepatic artery chemoembolization, can help shrink or stop the growth of liver cancer. Chemotherapy is often used to treat liver cancer as well, and chemoembolization can be an option for people with large tumors. However, some tumors are inoperable or unresectable due to being too close to major blood vessels and may not respond to chemoembolization either. Liver cancer treatment Farmington
The Goals of Chemoembolization
Chemoembolization can be used to kill cancer cells in the liver. It can also shrink tumors, relieve pain, and improve quality of life. The treatment works by using a catheter to inject a blood clot into the hepatic artery that leads from the groin area to the liver. The blood clot then blocks off any other arteries leading to and from the tumor, stopping it from getting oxygenated blood and killing it.
Risks Associated with Chemoembolization:
Chemoembolization is a liver cancer treatment in Farmington. It can be used to treat liver cancer that originated in the liver or spread there from other areas of the body. In order to do this, chemo emboli are injected into a large vein in the patient’s body. This process may not be right for everyone and it carries some risks.
Cost and Insurance Coverage for Chemioembolization:
Chemoembolization is an important treatment option for liver cancer — particularly when the tumor cannot be removed with surgery, has spread to other areas of the body, or recurs after surgery. It’s also a good option if you are not a candidate for surgery because of other health problems. The procedure involves the placement of small beads containing chemotherapy into the hepatic artery that feeds blood to the liver. Chemotherapy then circulates throughout the organ, killing cancer cells that are in contact with it.
Results of the Procedure
Chemoembolization targets liver cancer — more specifically, cancer that originated in the liver or spread there from other areas in the body. It’s most often used for cancers that are no longer responding to drugs and can’t be surgically removed. One of the most common chemoembolizations includes injecting a chemical solution into the artery next to a tumor, which blocks blood flow to it. This eventually shrinks or destroys the tumor.