Chemoembolization

A hepatic arteriogram , the first step in a chemoembolization
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Chemoembolization is a minimally invasive treatment for primary liver cancers or cancers from other parts of the body that have gone to the liver. This procedure may be combined with radiofrequency ablation and/or traditional chemotherapy.
Chemoembolization delivers a high dose chemotherapy directly to the tumor and decreases its blood supply to shrink the size.
During the procedure your interventional radiologist places a catheter, a thin plastic tube into into an artery through a small incision in the skin. This is directed under x-ray into the blood vessels supplying the tumor. Small particles containing chemotherapy are then placed into the tumor. Chemoembolization usually requires an overnight hospital stay. Patients typically have lower than normal energy levels for about a month afterwards.


