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New Cancer Treatment Provides Hope For Liver Cancer PatientsApril 05, 2012 |
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Only five facilities in Virginia offer Selective Internal Radiation Therapy Roanoke, Va. (April 5, 2012) — Together, Carilion Clinic and Blue Ridge Cancer Care (BRCC), an 18-physician privately-owned practice and affiliate of The US Oncology Network, are offering a new therapy called Selective Internal Radiation (SIR) to patients with liver cancer that meet appropriate criteria. SIR-Spheres deliver targeted, internal radiation therapy directly to the tumor, while sparing normal healthy tissue. The Carilion Clinic/Blue Ridge Cancer Care team is one of only five teams in the state of Virginia currently performing this therapy. SIR uses microspheres, the size of about one-third the diameter of a strand of hair, made of millions of polymer beads which contain the radioactive element yttrium-90. The microspheres are injected through a catheter, into the bloodstream that carries the microspheres directly to the tumor. The microspheres lodge themselves in the small vessels feeding the tumor, where they then release radiation. "This is a novel new way to tackle large volume cancer where conventional treatments cannot be used or have failed," explained Robert Heath, M.D., radiation oncologist with BRCC. "Chemotherapy seldom controls liver disease forever. SIR-Spheres selectively irradiate the tumors and can give appropriate patients another option." Research has shown that liver tumors feed off of blood from the hepatic artery while the portal vein provides blood to healthy liver tissue. SIR-Spheres are administered into the hepatic artery, allowing for more targeted delivery of radiation. "Early clinical studies have been encouraging, showing improved survival rates and tumor response," said Tom Bishop, M.D., interventional radiologist at Carilion Clinic. "There have also been case reports of patients with primary liver cancer that have been down staged and made eligible for liver transplantation." This new treatment option is performed on an outpatient basis at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital in the interventional radiology suite. Patients generally tolerate the treatment well, with minimal side effects. Both Heath and Bishop stress that this new procedure is the work of a coordinated, committed team that includes medical oncology, radiation oncology, interventional radiology and nuclear medicine. Medicare covers SIR-Spheres for colorectal to liver, metastatic neuroendocrine tumors to liver, and hepato cellular carcinoma. The therapy is currently restricted in the treatment of other cancers, which are not reimbursed by Medicare. About Carilion Clinic About Blue Ridge Cancer Care Blue Ridge Cancer Care is united in healing with The US Oncology Network, one of the nation's largest community-based cancer treatment and research networks focused on advancing cancer care in America. As an affiliate of The US Oncology Network, BRCC is united with more than 1,000 physicians and 10,000 cancer professionals nationwide. Blue Ridge Cancer Care participates in clinical trials through US Oncology Research, which has helped to develop 43 FDA approved cancer therapies. For more information, visit www.usoncology.com. About The US Oncology Network PR ContactAllie Buth, Carilion Clinic Jennifer McDonald, Blue Ridge Cancer Care Chris Perez, McKesson Specialty Health |
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