Y-90
Interventional Radiology and Cancer Care
Interventional Radiology (IR) plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, offering advanced, minimally invasive procedures that use imaging technology to precisely identify and target areas of disease. Working collaboratively with oncologists, surgeons and other members of the cancer care team, our interventional radiologists provide specialized treatment options tailored to each patient's diagnosis and individual needs.
Using sophisticated imaging guidance, interventional radiologists can perform many procedures through very small incisions, often providing an alternative or complement to traditional surgery. These techniques can be used to obtain image-guided biopsies for diagnosis, deliver treatment directly to tumors, and manage certain symptoms or complications associated with cancer. Because these procedures are minimally invasive, patients may experience less discomfort and shorter recovery times compared with more invasive surgical approaches.
Interventional oncology procedures may include image-guided biopsies, Y-90 radioembolization, chemoembolization and other minimally invasive, image-guided therapies. Together, these capabilities provide the multidisciplinary cancer care team with additional options for developing an individualized treatment plan for each patient.
Y-90 Radioembolization for Liver Tumors
Yttrium-90 (Y-90) radioembolization is an advanced, minimally invasive treatment used for certain primary and metastatic liver tumors. The procedure allows radiation to be delivered directly to a tumor from inside the blood vessels that supply it.
During treatment, an interventional radiologist uses imaging guidance to carefully navigate a small catheter through the blood vessels leading to the liver. Tiny microspheres containing the radioactive isotope Yttrium-90 are then delivered directly to the tumor through the blood vessels. The microspheres release radiation within the tumor while limiting exposure to surrounding healthy liver tissue.
Y-90 may be considered for patients with certain liver cancers who are not candidates for surgery, as well as for patients whose overall treatment plan may benefit from a targeted, liver-directed therapy. Treatment recommendations are individualized and developed in collaboration with the patient's broader cancer care team.
Why Y-90 Matters
For patients with certain liver tumors, treatment options can sometimes be limited by the location or extent of disease, underlying liver function, or whether surgery is an appropriate option. Y-90 provides another important treatment approach by delivering radiation directly to tumors through their blood supply.
Because the treatment is highly targeted, Y-90 can concentrate radiation within the tumor while limiting exposure to surrounding healthy liver tissue. For appropriately selected patients, it may be used to help control disease within the liver or as part of a broader treatment strategy that may include surgery, systemic therapy, radiation oncology, or other cancer treatments.
Importantly, Y-90 gives the multidisciplinary cancer care team another option for developing an individualized treatment plan, particularly for patients whose liver tumors may not be well suited for traditional surgery or other therapies.
The availability of Y-90 radioembolization at Salinas Valley Health expands advanced treatment options available for patients with liver tumors and reflects our continued commitment to providing comprehensive, multidisciplinary cancer care. Offering this specialized treatment locally also allows eligible patients to receive advanced, liver-directed therapy close to home, supported by the physicians and care teams they know and trust.
Through Interventional Radiology and the broader oncology team, Salinas Valley Health brings together advanced imaging, minimally invasive treatment techniques and collaborative cancer care with a shared goal: providing each patient with the most appropriate treatment options for their individual needs.