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Does Chemoembolization Work?

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Last Modified: January 7, 2013

Question

Is there usually a good response from having a chemoembolization? How long should you wait to get a scan after having it done?

Answer

Ginna Deitrick, CRNP, MSN, Nurse Practitioner for Interventional Radiology at Penn Medicine responds.

Both chemoembolization (TACE) and SIRSpheres embolization are equally effective in treating carcinoid tumors. With chemoembolization one should generally wait at least 4-6 weeks before repeating imaging, whereas for a radioembolization (SIRSpheres) we generally wait 3 months before repeating imaging to be able to view the full response to treatment. People vary in their responses to chemoembolization and radioembolization. Some are more responsive to one type of therapy than the other, but unfortunately the only way to tell the response is to perform the procedure. Overall there is above a 50% response to either therapy.

This question and answer was part of the OncoLink Brown Bag Chat Series. View the entire transcript from the Focus on Neuroendocrine Tumors Webchat.