Dr. Welling on SIRT in Patients With Hepatobiliary Neoplasms

Theodore H. Welling MD, associate professor, department of Surgery, director, Liver Tumor Program, NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, discusses the use of selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) in patients with hepatobiliary cancers.

Physicians are still learning about the full advantages of SIRT. Ablative strategies in general have a role in the treatment of patients with hepatobiliary cancer, says Welling. Physicians are still identifying what combination of modalities, including thermal ablation techniques such as microwave radiofrequency, result in the best ablative approach in conjunction with surgery.

The field is still evolving with respect to highly selective radio embolization for either hepatic metastases or primary liver cancers. There is greater experience with primary liver cancers, states Welling, but physicians are starting to see more tailored approaches for hepatic metastases as well.