Liver Cancer Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy (IAC)
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Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy (IAC) for Liver Cancer
At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), we offer innovative chemo-treatment delivery methods to help reduce the side effects of chemotherapy, such as nausea, low blood counts and fatigue.
Intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) is a type of regional chemotherapy in which chemotherapy drugs are delivered directly to the tumor through a catheter placed in the artery that is the primary blood supply for the tumor.
During IAC, chemotherapy drugs are delivered directly to the tumor through the hepatic artery (hepatic artery infusion). In order to obtain a “roadmap” of your arterial system, intra-arterial chemotherapy for liver cancer begins with a physician performing an angiogram. An angiogram involves the insertion of a tiny catheter through the right leg’s femoral artery and examining the individual’s particular arterial system under a special scope using a special dye. Once mapped, the chemotherapy drugs are infused directly into the artery.
The tumor in the liver receives the drug, and the liver breaks down most of the drug before it can reach the rest of the body. As a result, intra-arterial chemotherapy may cause fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy treatment.
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