Aster Medcity successfully completes (TARE) for Liver Tumour

​Kochi: For the first time in Kerala, transarterial radio-embolisation (TARE) with Rhenium -188 Lipiodol for liver tumour was carried out in a young 26-year-old male with liver cancer in Aster MedCity. This novel approach of treating liver cancers is carried out in patients with inoperable liver tumours. Here radioactive substances (Rhenium-188 lipiodol) is injected through the hepatic artery into the liver tumour directly with the help of a catheter inserted into a peripheral artery.

The injected radioactive substance gets deposited in the tumour tissue and then locally emits radiation which causes the destruction of the tumour cells. The procedure has been found to be effective in shrinking the tumour size which can make them suitable candidates for the surgical procedure later on. It has also been found to arrest the progress of disease thereby improving the quality of life and overall survival benefits.

Liver tumours being quite common in Asian countries and Kerala with its ever increasing burden of liver cancers ,this new therapeutic approach is a big relief for patients who are otherwise unsuitable for surgery or any other modalities of treatment.Radioembolization with rhenium Lipiodol is well tolerated by patients with no associated side effects similar to the ones we see with chemotherapeutic drugs.Following the procedure, the patient can be discharged safely on the third or fourth day.

A multidisciplinary team of experts including Dr.Shagos Nair, consultant in nuclear medicine; Dr.Vijay Jayakrishnan, Dr.Sriram Jaganathan and Dr.Brijesh Ray, consultants in interventional radiology; Dr.Mathew Jacob and Dr.Rehan Saif, liver transplant surgeons; Dr Naveen Ganjoo and Dr Charles Panackel, hepatologists were involved in the treatment and care of the patient.