Chemoembolization for Liver Cancer

Chemoembolization is a treatment for cancer in the liver. The procedure can be used for cancer that began in the liver or for cancer that has spread (metastasized) to the liver from other areas of the body. Chemoembolization treats only cancer in the liver. The procedure is done by a specially trained doctor called an interventional radiologist.

How Chemoembolization Works

A tumor needs a steady blood supply to grow. The hepatic artery is one of two major blood vessels that supply blood to the liver. As a liver tumor grows, it receives almost all of its blood supply from the hepatic artery. During chemoembolization, chemotherapy medications are injected into this artery. Then the artery is blocked so that the medications stay in the liver and no blood flows to the liver tumor. The goals of chemoembolization are:

• Blocking the tumor's blood flow so it receives no oxygen or nutrients.

• Delivering high doses of chemotherapy medications directly to the tumor site.

• Keeping chemotherapy medications in the tumor for long periods of time.

• Reducing side effects to the rest of the body because the medications do not leave the liver.