CHEMO INFUSION AND CHEMOEMBOLIZATION OF LIVER

Chemo infusion and chemoembolization of the liver integrates local chemotherapy treatment with an embolization technique to treat cancer, most commonly of the liver. It is a non-surgical, less invasive technique conducted by an interventional radiologist.

In this procedure, anti-cancer medications are injected straight into the blood artery that supplies a cancerous tumor.  Furthermore, an artificial material known as an embolic agent is injected into the arteries that provide blood to the tumor, effectively trapping the chemo within the tumor and limiting blood flow.

Some Of The Most Common Uses Of Liver Chemo Infusion And Chemoembolization

Patients whose cancer is primarily localized to the liver, whether the tumor formed in the liver or progressed to the liver from some other organ, benefit the most from chemo infusion and chemoembolization of the liver.

It may also be used to treat the following cancers:

  • Hepatocellular carcinoma or hepatoma
  • Cholangiocarcinoma
  • Metastasis (spread) to the liver from breast cancer, colon cancer, ocular melanoma, carcinoid tumors, and sarcomas.

On the basis of the quantity and kind of tumors, chemoembolization and chemo infusion may be used alone or in conjunction with surgery, radiation treatment, chemotherapy, or ablation.

How Is Chemo Infusion And Chemoembolization Of The Liver Performed?

Chemo infusion and chemoembolization of the liver is usually performed by an interventional radiologist. The radiologist should collaborate extensively with an oncologist, who determines how much chemotherapy the patient will get at each treatment session. Recurrent sessions may be required for certain patients at six- to 12-week gaps. This process is carried out using fluoroscopy imaging to visualize the hepatic artery circulation.

Moreover, a catheter is put into the aorta after being introduced through the femoral artery in the groin. The catheter is pushed into the hepatic artery from the aorta. Chemotherapy is injected once the sections of the hepatic artery that supply the liver cancer have been found. The catheter is subsequently removed after the procedure is done.

What Happens After The Procedure Is Completed?

In most cases, the patient is hospitalized  overnight for monitoring. The nurses look for signs of hemorrhage from the femoral artery puncture on a frequent basis. They also assess for a heartbeat in the foot on the side where the catheter was inserted to ensure that the femoral artery was not occluded during the technique. In this instance, the lack of a pulse indicates blockage. 

Usually, the liver blood test remains high three to four days following the treatment because the tumor has been destroyed. After that, imaging examinations of the liver are done every six to twelve weeks to monitor the tumor’s progress to therapy.

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