Y-90 liver cancer treatment: What's your experience?

The treatment went well but the side effects, extreme fatigue, abdominal pain, and shoulder pain, low grade fevers continue after 8 weeks. Has anyone experienced symptoms that long?

Has anyone been told before Y90 surgery that it usually has to be done again on the same tumor? Just got a call from my IR office asking when I want to have my second surgery! I told the woman I knew nothing about having another Y90 when we don’t even know what the first one has done, it’s only been 4 weeks since it was done. Very suspicious of this doctor. Notified my oncologist and surgeon for the opinion.

@stevie17 You hit the nail on the head. That is my concern, also. The letter Medicare sent me said they had 60 days to reconsider after an appeal is received. My local oncologist has been doing CT scans about every 3 months. My last one was late October and it had grown from 6.4cm to 7.7cm. If that rate of growth continues, will that affect future treatment possibilities?

I am shocked that Medicare denied the Mapping request. They have to map to know what route to take when placing the Y90. My practice told me because I had Medicare (regular) no approval was needed and had mapping done 1 week after I met with IR. And week after had seeds implanted. So sorry for the delays. I am with you. How much will it grow by the time they get to
Place the Y90.

@colleenyoung I learn so much every time I read your responses. My recent mapping procedure for Y90 was denied by Medicare. The letter I received said your doctors have enough information to treat your NET liver tumor. It is being appealed, but will delay much needed treatment while the tumor continues to grow.

I had resection in June. Attempted Ablation in September but it turned out tumor had grown since MRI and was to close to bile duct for surgeon to ablate. Did Y90 in November awaiting MRI in January to see if it worked. They saw some small tumors in another area so went on immunotherapy 3 weeks ago. Will MRI that section tomorrow. What’s next….who knows. Investigating Histotripsy for further treatment. Just can’t catch a break I guess. On the other hand I have no pain going about my daily life so I am blessed in many ways.

I had the same concern. I am 71. I was told there is no age limit for transplant, it depends on your state of health. Basically, I think they look at if your body can survive the surgery and how many years you will get out of it. That said, I ponder the ethical question about accepting an organ when I know there is a shortage and some younger people may get more years than me.
I had ablation instead of Y90. My tumor was not in a precarious place so ablation was a better fit for me.
Wishing you the best life possible and peace of mind.

Thanks for the feedback. Did you have Y90 treatment? My only concern is that if I wait I will be too old for transplant. How old are you?

I had Hep C for many years. Finally cleared the virus early 2020. Since then I had a slow growing tumor that reached 2 cm and was ablated. No new tumor since then and I have been taken off the transplant list. I am thinking like you that life expectancy/quality may be similar transplant or not. I am monitored every three months and have not had a recurring tumor/ lesion for over two years now. That said there is still a possibility of recurrence and some insecurity about that possibility but I am relieved not to be on the transplant list and doing a fairly decent job of enjoying life. Wishing you the very best.

Hello,

I had Hep C for 20 years that was cured 20 years ago. Last year they found a 3.5 cm single lesion on my liver and performed Y90 which eliminated the tumor. All blood work is perfectly normal and there are no new tumors after several follow up MRIs.. AFP is 2.6 and MELD is 6 to 8. I am on the transplant list and will turn 72 soon. In very good physical condition. Wishing that I didn't have to get a transplant and that the chances the Y90 worked well enough to give me the same life expectancy as would a transplant without all of the transplant potential side effects. Doctor says Y90 isn't a cure and that reoccurrence is likely. Any thoughts Thanks