Radiotherapy

The length of radiotherapy treatment varies from patient to patient. It depends on whether the cancer has spread to other areas of the body, the type of radiotherapy used, if you are experiencing side-effects and how successful the treatment is. A course of radiotherapy can last up to eight weeks, but usually it will be shorter than this.

As with all treatments some patients will experience side effects, however they are generally temporary:
  • tiredness
  • loss of appetite
  • nausea  (feeling sick)
  • diarrhoea

Radiofrequency ablation

This procedure uses radio waves delivered through a special probe to destroy cancer cells. Sometimes the probe is inserted directly through the skin and only a local anesthetic is required. Depending on the size of the tumour and its extent, in some cases the probe is inserted through an incision in the abdomen. This is done in the hospital under a general anesthetic.

Cryosurgery

This is a treatment which uses an instrument to freeze and destroy cancerous tissue using liquid nitrogen or liquid carbon dioxide. This treatment is also referred to as cryoablation or cryosurgical ablation.

Secondary Liver disease small particle treatment

SIR-Spheres is a product to treat liver cancer. The treatment can be used in cases where it is not possible to surgically remove secondary liver tumors, SIR-Spheres can be used to deliver targeted, internal radiation therapy directly to the tumor. This new therapy is called Selective Internal Radiation Therapy, also know as SIRT.

If you meet the criteria for treatment then you may be a candidate and you can contact one of the treatment centers that specialize in SIR-Spheres therapy. You will find the list of treatment centers on the sirtex website:  www.sirtex.com.  A cancer specialist will then make a decision on your suitability for treatment.

Read More
Registration No: 5314195 Registered Office: 92 Palatine Road, London N16 8ST.