Carson Tahoe Health unveils latest liver cancer treatment

The latest generation of state-of-the-art liver cancer treatment is now available to patients at Carson Tahoe Health.

Michelle Joy, chief operating officer, announced Carson Tahoe Health has unveiled TheraSphere, a leading-edge technology approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

As a minimally-invasive outpatient procedure, this innovative technique treats patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer. This procedure can be used as a bridge to surgery or transplantation for those who have been diagnosed with inoperable HCC. It’s also indicated for the treatment of HCC patients with partial or branch portal vein thrombosis or occlusion.

“As a premier cancer care provider in Northern Nevada, we’re dedicated to researching and providing the most advanced treatments for our patients,” said Dr. Sandra Althaus, interventional radiologist at Carson Tahoe Health. “TheraSphere is a revolutionary technology that has proven to lead to the best possible patient outcomes. Following the procedure, most people can get back to their daily activities within just 24 hours.”

The TheraSphere procedure is performed by several of Tahoe Carson Radiology’s specially trained Interventional Radiologists, who are on staff with Carson Tahoe Health. During the treatment, microscopic radioactive beads are delivered to a tumor through a catheter the physician guides into the hepatic artery, the liver’s main blood vessel. Once in place, the beads are inserted into the catheter where they can enter the smaller blood vessels supplying the tumor and block the flow of blood. No wider than a single strand of human hair, the beads kill liver cancer cells from inside the tumor, while sparing healthy liver tissue.

Unlike TheraSphere, many of the technologies offered for HCC patients require inpatient hospitalization and also produce severe side effects that can reduce a patient’s quality of life. TheraSphere is a 40-minute procedure that’s well tolerated by patients, and side effects are normally milder than other treatments. Depending on where the patient is at in their diagnosis, this treatment can either fully destroy the tumors, or reduce them to an operable size.

“At Carson Tahoe, we are dedicated to serving our community with the latest technological advancements in a compassionate, tranquil healing environment,” said Joy. “We are grateful to offer the state-of-the-art TheraSphere system — one of our nation’s most advanced forms of liver cancer treatment ­— right here in Northern Nevada.”

To learn more about innovative treatments at Carson Tahoe Health, go to www.CarsonTahoe.com.