Yttrium-90 Radioembolization: Current Clinical Practice and Review of the Recent Literature

Abstract

Curative options for the treatment of primary or secondary hepatic malignancies are transplant and surgical resection. Transplant and surgical resection offers the best clinical outcome; however, it is only available to a limited number of patients who present with early-stage disease. For patients beyond curative resection or outside transplant criteria, locoregional therapies remain an excellent treatment option. Yttrium-90 (90Y) radioembolization is a transarterial catheter–based technique that is increasingly being used in the management of primary and secondary liver malignancies. The focus of this article is to discuss the use of 90Y radioembolization for the treatment of unresectable hepatic malignancies along with a review of the relevant literature.