Dr. Salem on Outcomes With Y-90 as Bridging Therapy Prior to Transplant in HCC

Riad Salem, MD, vice chair for Image Guided Therapy, Department of Radiology, chief of Vascular and Interventional Radiology in the Department of Radiology, and professor of Radiology (Vascular and Interventional Radiology), Medicine (Hematology and Oncology) and Surgery (Organ Transplantation) at the Feinberg School of Medicine, discusses outcomes with TheraSphere™ Yttrium-90 (Y-90) Glass Microsphere as a bridging therapy prior to transplantation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

The Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine hosted a large number of patients who underwent liver transplantation after being treated with Y-90 for downstaging or bridging, according to Salem. In an analysis that utilized pathology tissue, investigators examined both the explant and explant tumor to determine whether the amount of tumor could be quantified. Patients were followed for 10 to 15 years to see whether they experienced different outcomes following transplantation, Salem says.

Investigators found that if there was more necrosis present, it was easier to kill the tumor, Salem explains. Additionally, this patient population was found to have better outcomes following transplantation. Based on this, the goal of a locoregional therapy should be to maximize tumor kill and necrosis, as this will yield the best outcomes for patients following transplantation, Salem concludes.