Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin participate in liver, pancreas and biliary cancer clinical trials.
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TheraSphere to Treat Primary Liver Cancers
Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin are participating in a clinical trial to test the effectiveness of TheraSphere®, an interventional (non-surgical) therapy for inoperable tumors of the liver. TheraSphere® has been approved by the FDA for treating primary liver cancers.
TheraSphere® is being studied to help patients with inoperable liver cancer to live longer lives in greater comfort. TheraSphere® uses brachytherapy (high-dose radiation) to deliver precise radiation directly to the tumor with minimal effect to healthy surrounding tissue. The system allows the delivery of a much higher dose of radiation in a single treatment than with external beam radiation.
In an outpatient procedure, a catheter is placed into the femoral artery and guided with fluoroscopy to the hepatic artery and into the branch that feeds the tumor. Microscopic radioactive beads are infused through the catheter into the blood that supplies the tumor. The blood carries the beads directly into the tumor, with minimal injury to surrounding tissue.
Tumor Boards
When a patient is diagnosed with cancer of the liver, pancreas or bile duct, treatment options are discussed at multidisciplinary tumor board meetings. Through tumor board conferences, physicians who specialize in diagnosing and treating cancer share their expertise and recommend the best possible treatment plan for each patient.
A tumor board is a group of specialists who meet regularly to discuss treatment options for patients with cancer. Through the collective knowledge of the physicians, the best possible ideas relevant to each patient’s care are thoroughly evaluated before treatment recommendations are made. Regular tumor board participants include physicians who specialize in diagnostic radiology, pathology, surgery, medical oncology and radiation oncology.
Virtual Visits Are Available
Safe and convenient virtual visits by video let you get the care you need via a mobile device, tablet or computer wherever you are. We’ll gather your medical records for you and get our experts’ input so we can offer treatment options without an in-person visit. To schedule a virtual visit, call 1-866-680-0505.
Cancer and the COVID-19 Vaccine
There is currently no data that suggests current or former cancer patients should avoid getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Cancer can weaken your immune system, so we recommend that most patients get the vaccine as soon as possible.
