Overview of Yttrium-90:
Type: Beta-emitting radioactive isotope.
Penetration: Beta particles have a tissue penetration range of around 2.5 mm.
Decay product: Decays into stable Zirconium-90.
Benefits of Yttrium-90 Treatment:
High-dose Delivery: Enables concentrated radiation doses directly to cancer cells while sparing healthy tissues.
Outpatient Procedure: Many treatments with 90Y can be performed on an outpatient basis, offering convenience.
Versatility: Suitable for inoperable tumors or when surgery isn't an option for the patient.
Clinical Applications:
Radioembolization: Primarily for liver cancers, such as:
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) - a common type of liver cancer.
Liver metastases - secondary cancerous growths from other areas, notably colorectal cancer.
Radioimmunotherapy: 90Y can be bound to monoclonal antibodies to target specific cancer cells, applicable to:
Certain non-Hodgkin lymphomas and other lymphoma types.
Appropriate Cancer Types for 90Y Treatment:
Liver Cancers: Effective in treating primary and secondary liver malignancies.
Lymphomas: Selected types, particularly when patients respond poorly to traditional chemotherapy.
Safety and Management:
Administration of Yttrium-90 requires careful handling by trained medical professionals due to its radioactive nature.
Precision in its use is essential to maximize treatment efficacy and minimize the risk to patient health.
The targeted approach of Yttrium-90 in treating certain cancer types offers therapeutic advantages, especially for patients with localized, difficult-to-reach tumors, or when conventional therapies are not viable.
Interventional embolization:
This technique blocks the blood supply to the tumor by injecting substances such as absolute alcohol, iodized oil, microspheres, or coils into the feeding artery. This can cause the tumor to shrink or die due to lack of oxygen and nutrients. Interventional embolization can also be used to deliver chemotherapy or radiation therapy to the tumor, which is called chemoembolization or radioembolization, respectively. It can be used alone or in combination with other treatments, such as surgery, ablation, or systemic therapy, to improve the outcome and survival of patients.