Chemoembolization

Suzanne, again I will chime in, but I am new at this too. As I understand it:

Radioembolization is the same as chemoembolization in terms of method, but uses a radioactive material instead. That places some limitations on the patient as they are radioactive for a few days and can’t be around pregnant women or small children or sleep in the bed with their spouse, etc as proximity is the key.

Additionally, my dad’s oncologist explained that radio can cause arterial damage that could prohibit further treatment, so he likes to begin with chemo since it doesn’t cause the same damage.

Check out sirtex.com also for a specific radio treatment that seems to have good results.

Suzanne, it’s ok to be angry and keep on fighting. Charlie has had some of the same things happen during his illness. His liver resection was successful, but tumors were back in his liver just a few months later. He’s had a lot of chemo (I think about 30 weeks of different kinds over 18 months) and it’s never done anything but keep the tumors stable or one tumor grows a little and one tumor shrinks a little. He did have chemoembolization last year before his resection and he said it was worse than the major surgery and it didn’t change his tumors. Maybe you’ll have a better reaction. I hope so. I’m sorry you didn’t get better news. Would another doctor’s opinion give you any more information? Best wishes.

Carol