AETNA Approves SIR-Sphere Treatment

I thought I’d post this here as well as under research because I had expected to have to battle for this, and I did not. AETNA approved the following, it could be this is an option for others:

My husband is scheduled for this procedure on April 10 at the University of Colorado Hospital. The technique uses millions of tiny polymer beads (microspheres) which contain a radioactive element yttrium-90. This outpatient procedure involves a small catheter guided into the liver and the SIR-Spheres are infused through the catheter. The spheres are carried through the bloodstream directly to the tumors in the liver where they preferentially lodge in the small vessels feeding the tumor and deliver their dose of radiation for a period of approx 2 seeks. They selectively irradiate the tumors and therefore have the ability to deliver more potent doses of radiation directly to the cancer sells over a longer period of time, while sparing the nomral healthy tissue. This treatment was developed in the late ’80’s in Australia and was approved by the FDA in 2002, altho for treatment of secondary liver cancer. So getting the insurance company to cooperate to treate Cholangio could be difficult, but AETNA approved the procedure in (according to UCH) in record time. I wanted you all to know about this treatment as a possibility for you or your loved one. I will keep you posted on how it goes. At this point the GEMZAR appears to have done all it can and the tumor markers are creeping back up, so we’re praying that this treatment will be effective. Check http://www.sirtex.com