Charlotte Radiology has announced it is making available a new treatment for patients with metastatic liver cancer at CMC-Northeast in Concord. SIR-Spheres® microspheres, manufactured by Sirtex, is the only fully FDA-approved radiation microspheres for treating colorectal cancer that has metastasized to the liver.
“As a physician, I want every tool at my disposal to help patients as they battle cancer,” said Dr. Jason Swenson, Interventional Radiologist with Charlotte Radiology. “This technology allows an additional opportunity to extend life.”
At least 60 percent of the nearly 150,000 Americans diagnosed with colorectal cancer every year will see their cancer spread to the liver. And most liver tumors cannot be surgically resected. Metastatic liver cancer is almost always fatal, with up to 90 percent of patients dying from liver failure. Microspheres therapy has emerged as an effective treatment option.
“SIR-Spheres microspheres is a powerful weapon against one of the deadliest forms of cancer,” said Dr. Eric A. Wang, Chief of Vascular & Interventional Specialists at Charlotte Radiology. “SIR-Spheres microspheres are proven to extend patients’ lives and, just as importantly, allow patients to maintain a good quality of life.”
SIR-Spheres microspheres are microscopic radioactive spheres that can be delivered by the millions directly to the tumor. Microspheres contain the radioactive isotope yttrium-90, which delivers beta radiation to the tumor. Microspheres selectively target liver tumors with a dose of internal radiation up to 40 times higher than conventional radiotherapy – while sparing healthy tissue. Recent studies in chemo-refractory patients with colorectal liver metastases reported a median survival range of 10.5-to-13 months, compared with three-and-a-half months for untreated patients. Many of these patients had stopped responding to standard chemotherapy regimens or were unable to tolerate them any longer.
“Since 2006, we have been providing a wealth of interventional oncology treatments and we are excited to have SIR-Spheres available to patients at Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast in Concord,” Wang said.
Ongoing research medical research and peer-reviewed published papers indicate yttrium-90 microspheres may also be effective in treating other forms of liver tumors. These include tumors from hepatocellular carcinoma and liver metastases from other primary sources such as breast cancer. Treatment for these types of tumors with SIR-Spheres microspheres is still under study by the medical community and has not yet received FDA approval.
SIR-Spheres microspheres therapy is minimally invasive and is performed on an outpatient basis with minor side effects. For more information visit www.charlotteradiology.com or www.sirtex.com.
About Charlotte Radiology:
Since 1967, Charlotte Radiology has been considered the area’s imaging experts and is one of the largest and most progressive radiology groups in the country. The practice consists of over 90 board certified radiologists with training in a range of specialties including Body Imaging, Emergency Radiology, Interventional Radiology, Mammography, Musculoskeletal, Neuroradiology, Nuclear Medicine, Pediatrics and Teleradiology/Nighthawk Imaging. The practice owns and/or operates 12 breast imaging centers, 2 Vein & Vascular Centers, 7 freestanding outpatient imaging centers and provides radiologist coverage to several hospitals in NC including numerous Carolinas Healthcare System facilities. 
Since 1967, Charlotte Radiology has been considered the area’s imaging experts and is one of the largest and most progressive radiology groups in the country. The practice consists of over 90 board certified radiologists with training in a range of specialties including Body Imaging, Emergency Radiology, Interventional Radiology, Mammography, Musculoskeletal, Neuroradiology, Nuclear Medicine, Pediatrics and Teleradiology/Nighthawk Imaging. The practice owns and/or operates 12 breast imaging centers, 2 Vein & Vascular Centers, 7 freestanding outpatient imaging centers and provides radiologist coverage to several hospitals in NC including numerous Carolinas Healthcare System facilities.
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