Understanding Y90 Treatment: A Breakthrough in Liver Cancer Care
What Is Y90 Treatment?
Y90 treatment, also known as Yttrium-90 radioembolization, is an advanced cancer therapy used to treat tumors in the liver. It is a form of internal radiation therapy that uses tiny beads, called microspheres, filled with a radioactive substance called Yttrium-90. These beads are delivered directly to the blood vessels feeding the tumor.
This technique allows for high doses of radiation to reach the tumor while sparing most of the healthy liver tissue. Y90 treatment is often used when surgery is not an option and has shown promising results in shrinking tumors and improving quality of life.
How Y90 Treatment Works
The procedure is performed by an interventional radiologist. A small catheter is inserted through the groin or wrist and guided through the blood vessels to the liver using imaging like fluoroscopy or CT scans. Once in place, millions of radioactive beads are released into the arteries that supply the tumor.
These beads lodge in the small blood vessels and emit radiation directly into the tumor over the course of several days. Because the radiation doesn’t travel far, the surrounding healthy tissue is mostly spared.
Conditions Treated with Y90
- Primary liver cancer (Hepatocellular carcinoma or HCC)
- Metastatic colorectal cancer (that has spread to the liver)
- Neuroendocrine tumors with liver involvement
- Other inoperable solid tumors affecting the liver
Benefits of Y90 Treatment
- Minimally Invasive: Performed through a catheter, no open surgery required.
- Highly Targeted: Radiation is concentrated directly on the tumor, reducing side effects.
- Outpatient or Short Stay: Many patients go home the same day or the next.
- Improved Quality of Life: Can reduce symptoms, slow disease progression, and extend life expectancy.
- Combination-Friendly: Can be used with chemotherapy or other cancer treatments.
What to Expect During and After Y90 Treatment
Before the Procedure
Before Y90 treatment, your care team will perform scans and blood tests to plan the treatment and map the blood supply to the tumor. This may include a mapping angiogram and possibly a test dose of a harmless tracer to ensure accurate delivery.
During the Procedure
The actual Y90 treatment is done under conscious sedation. It typically takes 1–2 hours. Most patients do not feel the beads being delivered.
After the Procedure
Some patients may feel tired, have mild nausea, or develop flu-like symptoms known as “post-embolization syndrome,” which usually resolves within a week. Most return to normal activities within a few days. Follow-up imaging is done to monitor the tumor’s response.
Is Y90 Treatment Right for You?
Y90 treatment is often used for patients who are not candidates for liver surgery due to tumor location, number of tumors, or underlying liver disease. It’s also used when other treatments like chemotherapy haven’t worked well enough.
Each patient is carefully evaluated using imaging studies, lab work, and a team-based review to determine if Y90 is the best course of action.
Why Choose Dr. Fabio Komlos for Y90 Treatment
Dr. Fabio Komlos is the Medical Director of Interventional Radiology at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. With more than 17 years of experience and training from Harvard and the Miami Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute, Dr. Komlos is a leader in image-guided cancer therapies. His focus on precision, patient safety, and innovation makes him one of the top choices for Y90 treatment in California.
Take the Next Step
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with liver cancer or tumors that have spread to the liver, Y90 treatment may offer a safe, effective, and less invasive solution. Don’t wait to explore your options.
👉 Schedule a consultation with Dr. Fabio Komlos to learn if Y90 is right for you.
