The program includes:

• Initial presentation in the clinic
• clinical history taking
• review of medical records
• physical examination
• laboratory tests:
• complete blood count
• general urine analysis
• biochemical analysis of blood
• TSH-basal, fT3, fT4
• tumor markers (AFP, CEA, СА-19-9)
• inflammation indicators (CRP, ESR)
• indicators of blood coagulation
• abdominal ultrasound scan, CT/MRI of abdomen (if indicated clinically)
• preoperative care
• operations:
• Percutaneous embolization or chemoembolization the procedure selected according to your clinical condition and will be explained by the treating physician.
• symptomatic treatment
• cost of essential medicines
• nursing services
• elaboration of further recommendations

How program is carried out

During the first visit, the doctor will conduct a clinical examination and go through the results of the available diagnostic tests. After that, you will undergo the necessary additional examination, such as the assessment of liver and kidney function, ultrasound scan, CT scan and MRI. This will allow the doctor to determine which vessels are feeding the tumor and its metastases, as well as determine how well you will tolerate the procedure.

Chemoembolization begins with local anesthesia and catheterization of the femoral artery. The thin catheter is inserted through a few centimeters’ long incision of the blood vessel. The doctor gradually moves the catheter to the vessel feeding the primary tumor or its metastases. The procedure is carried out under visual control, an angiographic device is used for this. The vascular bed and the position of the catheter in it are displayed on the screen of the angiograph.

When the catheter reaches a suspected artery, a contrast agent is injected through it. Due to the introduction of the contrast agent, the doctor clearly sees the smallest vessels of the tumor and the surrounding healthy tissues on the screen of the angiograph. After that, he injects emboli into the tumor vessels through the same catheter.

Emboli are the spirals or the liquid microspheres. The type of embolus is selected individually, taking into account the diameter of the target vessel. When carrying out chemoembolization, a solution of a chemotherapy drug is additionally injected into the tumor vessel. Due to the subsequent closure of the vessel lumen with an embolus, the chemotherapy drug influences the tumor for a long time. In addition, the drug does not enter the systemic circulation, which allows doctors to use high doses of chemotherapeutic agents without the development of serious side effects. Chemoembolization leads to the destruction of the tumor or slowing down its progression.

After that, the catheter is removed from the artery. The doctor puts a vascular suture on the femoral artery and closes it with a sterile dressing. During chemoembolization, you will be awake. General anesthesia is not used, which significantly reduces the risks of the procedure and allows performing it on an outpatient basis, avoiding long hospital stays.

After the first procedure, you will stay under the supervision of an interventional oncologist and general practitioner. If necessary, you will receive symptomatic treatment, you will receive recommendations for further follow-up and treatment.

Required documents

• Medical records
• MRI/CT scan (not older than 3 months)
• Biopsy results (if available)

Price from: on request

Type of program: Outpatient

Expected duration of the program: 6 days