Like many gastrointestinal cancers, neuroendocrine tumors in the GI tract and pancreas tend to metastasize to the liver. If surgery to remove these metastases is not an option, Roswell Park offers several non-surgical approaches that specifically treat the liver.
Embolization for NETs in the liver
Embolization is a procedure that cuts off the blood supply to a tumor by injecting particles directly into the blood vessels that supply the tumor. These particles may also contain anticancer agents that fight the cancer cells, too. Embolization procedures offer effective treatment options for tumors in the liver, including primary liver tumors and other cancers that have metastasized to the liver.
- Bland embolization uses tiny particles to block blood supply to the tumor
- Chemoembolization uses tiny particles containing chemotherapy drugs to block the artery supplying the tumor. These particles pack a one-two punch, blocking blood flow to the tumor while releasing anti-cancer drugs. This type of treatment not only allows a higher amount of the drug to reach the tumor for a longer period of time but also decreases the side effects of chemotherapy, as the drug is directed to the tumor and doesn’t have to circulate throughout the body in order to be effective.
- Radioembolization uses tiny particles containing yttrium (y90), a radioactive isotope that to block the artery supplying the tumor. This treatment option can deliver high-dose radiation directly to the tumor.
Ablation for NETs in the liver
Ablation therapies are minimally-invasive options that destroy — or ablate — cancer cells with extreme heat or cold. Performed by a surgeon or interventional radiologist, a special needle or probe is inserted into the tumor, delivering extreme heat or cold to the tumor. Imaging scans are performed in real-time to guide the probe’s placement and monitor the treatment, ensuring complete tumor ablation.
- Cryoablation uses a very cold gas such as liquid nitrogen released through the probe to freeze the cancer cells, killing them.
- Microwave ablation uses microwaves to generate the heat necessary to destroy the tumor.