Radiation lobectomy-a minimally invasive treatment model for liver cancer: case report

Abstract

Chemotherapy-resistant colon carcinoma metastases to a patient's right hepatic lobe progressed after right lobar radioembolization with yttrium-90. The metastasis-free left lobe had adequate volume as a future liver remnant. Repeat right lobar radioembolization with supratherapeutic activity of (90)Y caused shrinking of the tumors and the right lobe with no adverse outcome. With an adequate tumor-free future liver remnant, one hepatic lobe bearing a large tumor burden may be administered supratherapeutic activity of (90)Y, risking lobar ablation for greater probability of tumor eradication. This is analogous to hepatic lobectomy. This case is presented as a proof of principle.