Radioembolization center for liver tumour treatment

A.Tsyb Medical Radiological Centre is the first center in Russia, that uses radioembolization method in the treatment of liver cancer and liver metastasis using domestic Yttrium-90 radionuclide-based microspheres.

What is radioembolization?

Radioembolization is an effective and breakthrough method for the treatment of malignant neoplasms, based on annihilation of cancer cells using radioactive microspheres delivered to the tumor by arterial vessels. They block blood flow to the tumor tissue, keeping it out of oxygen and nutrition, which leads to the destruction of malignant cells. Most often radioembolization is used in the treatment of liver cancer and liver metastasis, since it is specifically the arterial blood that feeds the cancer cells of this localization. Ionizing radiation persists for a month after the procedure and then completely disappears with the microspheres left in the liver and having no impact on liver activity. Effects of radiation exposure on human body in cases of radioembolization is essentially lower than of radiation therapy.

Implementation of radioembolization

Radioembolization is used in the treatment of primary liver tumors, metastases of cancer of other localizations in liver, for example, breast cancer, colorectal carcinoma, neuroendocrine tumors that have generalized in liver. Also, radioembolization is used as a palliative care when it is impossible to completely cure the cancer, but the method facilitates to slowdown its growth and also alleviates symptoms of the disease and thereby improving the patient’s quality of life.
Additionally, radioembolization is suitable for the patients who are unable to survive surgical intervention or liver transplantation. Radioembolization is often used in combination with other treatment methods, such as chemotherapy, to kill malignant as much as possible.
Liver cancer

Conduction of embolization

Radioembolization is conducted by high-qualified specialists – radiologists. An initial angiogram is performed to visualize the arteries of the upper abdominal cavity. Then, a thin wire mesh is inserted into the arteries of the stomach and the duodenal region to protect the vessels from the possible entry of microspheres into them. Next, a catheter is percutаneously inserted under X-ray control, which is pushed through femoral arteries into the liver vessels. After the catheter is placed in the branches of hepatic artery that feeds the tumor, microspheres are introduced into it, into which radionuclide preparation Yttrium-90 is injected. Radioembolization is conducted on an outpatient basis, however, in specific cases patients requires one-day hospital. The procedure endures for 1 hour with the use of local anesthesia.

Patient pathway

Radioembolization in Russia was not available due to the lack of domestic drugs. Foreign-made microspheres for radioembolization have a very high cost and complicated logistics. Production of domestic microspheres based on the Yttrium-90 radionuclide in Russia started in 2018. Now radioembolization is available for citizens of Russia and foreign patients. For the moment this surgical intervention is carried out on a fee basis. To carry out radioembolization it is necessary to address the Advisory-polyclinic department of the A. TSYB MRRC - phone +7 (484) 399-31-30. It is possible that the patient will be prescribed an additional examination, after which the case conference will decide on the appointment of this method of treatment. Radioembolization is performed at the Department of X-ray methods of Diagnosis and Treatment of the A. TSYB MRRC..

Recommendations to patients for conducting radioembolization

It is very important to know!

A patient may develop a post-radioembolization syndrome. Nausea, vomiting, fever, slight fever, drowsiness and weakness. The most common side effect is pain caused by cut-off of the blood-flow to the tumour. In these cases pain is relieved with pain medication. 3-5 days after performing radioembolization side-effects disappear, but in case of their preserving, you should contact your doctor. It is very important to exclude contacts with other people within a week after radioembolization, since the patient is a source of radiation. It is not recommended for the patient to sleep in the same bed with his spouse, use public transport, be near children and pregnant women.

About the department

About 8,000 new cases of hepatic cancer are registered annually in the Russian Federation. Of these, radical surgery is possible only in 20% of cases. For the last twenty years radioembolization has been actively used in the leading clinics of the world in the treatment of liver cancer and liver metastasis. This method allows physicians to staunch tumor growth in 90% of patients. Extremely high cost of radionuclide microspheres on the world market and the complex logistics of their delivery to Russia did not allow the use of radioembolization as a treatment method. With the support of the Ministry of Health of Russia, the State Corporation “Rosatom”, a private company ООО “BEBIG” and FSBI ”NMRRC” of the Ministry of Health of Russia in 2018, the production of domestic microspheres based on the Yttrium -90 radionuclide was started, which will essentially reduce the cost of operations and include radioembolization in the program of government funded medical care.

About 8,000
of new cases of hepatic cancer are registered annually
HIGHLUY QUALIFIED PHYSICIANS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF X-RAY METHODS OF DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT :
honoured physician of Russia, Ph.D. X-ray surgeon Valery Kucherov, X-ray surgeon Artur Petrosyan

CONTACT INFORMATION

+7 (495) 150-11-22 (Moscow, 08.00-20.00)

+ 7 (484) 399–31–30 (Obninsk, 08.00-20.00)

mrrc@mrrc.obninsk.ru

TEMPORARY ACCOMODATION

ul. Koroleva, 4, Obninsk, Kaluzhskaya oblast

+ 7 (910) 910-80-92

+7 (484) 399-33-50