Liver Embolization
Targeted Therapy for Liver Tumors
The liver can develop primary cancers like hepatocellular carcinoma or be affected by metastatic disease from the colon, pancreas, lung, or other organs. When surgery is not an option, Liver Embolization provides a minimally invasive and highly targeted treatment to reduce tumor burden and improve quality of life.
Image Guided Therapy provides liver embolization in Denver, Colorado, led by interventional radiologist Dr. Charles Nutting. For patients across Colorado and the country facing primary liver cancer or tumors that have spread to the liver, it offers a minimally invasive, image-guided option that can be used on its own or alongside other cancer treatments as part of a plan coordinated with your oncology team.
What Is Liver Embolization?
Performed in about an hour under sedation, Dr. Nutting uses advanced imaging to guide a catheter into the arteries feeding the liver tumors. Tiny beads, impregnated with chemotherapy or radioactive agents, are delivered directly to the tumors, sparing healthy tissue.
This localized approach means fewer side effects and a quicker recovery compared to traditional cancer treatments.
Types of Liver Embolization
Liver embolization is a family of related treatments. Each one delivers treatment through the artery that feeds the tumor, and the right approach depends on your diagnosis and overall care plan:
- Chemoembolization (TACE): delivers chemotherapy directly to the tumor on tiny beads, concentrating the drug in the liver while limiting how much reaches the rest of the body.
- Radioembolization (Y-90): delivers microscopic radioactive beads into the tumor’s blood supply, where they release a targeted dose of radiation over time.
- Bland embolization: uses tiny particles alone to block the blood flow a tumor relies on to grow, without a drug or radioactive agent.
Dr. Nutting recommends the approach best suited to your tumor type and the rest of your treatment plan.
How Liver Embolization Targets Tumors
Liver embolization works because of how the liver receives its blood. Healthy liver tissue is supplied mainly by the portal vein, while liver tumors draw most of their blood from the hepatic artery. By delivering treatment through the hepatic artery, Dr. Nutting can concentrate it on the tumor while largely sparing the surrounding healthy liver. That targeting is what allows for fewer whole-body side effects than treatments that travel through the entire system.
- Patients with liver tumors (primary or metastatic)
- Individuals who are not candidates for surgery
- Patients undergoing multimodal cancer therapy
- Those seeking to reduce tumor size and symptoms
- Localized, tumor-directed therapy
- Minimizes systemic side effects
- Same-day outpatient treatment
- Improves symptoms and may extend survival
- Dr. Nutting has performed over 10,000 liver embolizations
Recovery & Expectations
Most patients resume light activity within 48 hours. Side effects are typically mild and include fatigue or abdominal discomfort. Collaborate with your oncologist to see if this powerful tool fits into your care plan.
Why Choose Image Guided Therapy for Liver Embolization in Denver
Liver embolization is a highly specialized procedure, and experience matters. Interventional radiologist Dr. Charles Nutting is a leader in liver-directed therapy and took part in the clinical trials that brought Y-90 radioembolization to the United States. At Image Guided Therapy near Denver, in Greenwood Village, Colorado, he performs these procedures using state-of-the-art imaging in a comfortable outpatient setting, working alongside your oncology team as part of your overall care. Learn more about Dr. Nutting’s experience or contact us to discuss whether liver embolization fits your treatment plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is liver embolization a cure for liver cancer?
Liver embolization is most often used to control or shrink liver tumors, ease symptoms, and support quality of life, frequently as part of a broader cancer treatment plan rather than as a standalone cure. Whether it is right for you is a decision to make with your oncologist and Dr. Nutting.
What is the difference between TACE and Y-90 radioembolization?
Both deliver treatment through the artery feeding the tumor. TACE, or chemoembolization, delivers chemotherapy on tiny beads, while Y-90 radioembolization delivers targeted radiation on microscopic beads. The best choice depends on your diagnosis and care plan.
Is liver embolization available in Denver or Colorado?
Yes. Image Guided Therapy offers liver embolization in the Denver area and serves patients throughout Colorado and across the country. Patients travel from around the country and the world to be treated by interventional radiologist Dr. Charles Nutting.
How long is recovery after liver embolization?
Most patients resume light activity within about 48 hours. Side effects are typically mild and can include fatigue or abdominal discomfort, and your care team will give you specific guidance for your situation.
To find out whether liver embolization is an option for you, contact Image Guided Therapy to schedule a consultation with Dr. Nutting.
This page is for general informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Liver embolization is used as part of a cancer care plan, and treatment decisions should always be made with your oncologist and a qualified physician. Please consult your own doctors about whether this treatment is appropriate for you.
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Contact Dr. Nutting
Feel free to do you own research and reach out with any questions or concerns to see if an image guided procedure could be right for you. I believe that as an empowered patient, you are your own best advocate.
Location
- 8390 E Crescent Parkway, Suite 120 Greenwood Village, CO 80111