Advanced liver cancer is a condition in which cancer cells in the liver have progressed significantly, either through increasing tumor size, a growing number of tumors, or spread to blood vessels and surrounding organs. At this stage, treatment options often become more complex because surgical tumor removal is not always feasible. Therefore, patients with advanced liver cancer require a comprehensive therapeutic approach to help control cancer growth, prolong survival, and maintain quality of life.
As medical technology continues to advance, various innovative therapies are now available for treating advanced liver cancer. One of them is the combination of SIRT Y-90 and High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), available at Mandaya Royal Puri Hospital. This combined approach offers new hope for patients with liver cancer that is difficult to manage using conventional methods, as it can target tumors more effectively through complementary treatment strategies.
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SIRT Y-90 and HIFU: A Combination Therapy for Advanced Liver Cancer
In clinical practice, liver cancer treatment often requires more than one therapeutic modality to achieve optimal results. Each therapy has a different mechanism of action for targeting tumors, making a combination of approaches potentially more effective. One strategy currently available at Mandaya Royal Puri Hospital is the use of SIRT Y-90 and HIFU, which are designed to complement one another.
Below is an overview of SIRT Y-90 and HIFU:
1. SIRT Y-90
SIRT Y-90 is a liver cancer therapy that utilizes a radioactive substance called Yttrium-90 (Y-90) to directly target tumors. This therapy works by delivering Y-90 particles to the tumor through the bloodstream, allowing radiation to be focused more precisely on cancer cells. This targeted approach helps treat the tumor while minimizing radiation exposure to the surrounding healthy liver tissue.
Before the procedure, imaging studies are performed to map the blood vessels supplying the tumor and determine the most appropriate treatment pathway. A small tube (catheter) is then inserted through a blood vessel in the groin area and guided to the liver. Through this catheter, Y-90 particles are delivered directly to the tumor, allowing radiation to work from within and provide targeted treatment to the intended area.
SIRT Y-90 can be used to treat both early-stage and advanced-stage liver cancer, including primary liver cancer and cancers that have spread to the liver from other organs. This therapy is often an option for patients who are not candidates for surgery, such as those whose tumors are located near major blood vessels. In addition to helping control cancer growth, SIRT Y-90 can reduce tumor size, creating opportunities for further treatments such as surgery, liver transplantation, or HIFU.
The following are some of the benefits of SIRT Y-90:
- Tumor shrinkage: Helps significantly reduce tumor size.
- Potential downstaging: Reduces the size of large tumors, making them eligible for surgical removal or liver transplantation.
- Extended survival: Improves survival outcomes for patients with advanced liver cancer.
- Minimal side effects: Because the radiation is localized and targeted, systemic side effects are significantly lower than those associated with conventional chemotherapy.
- Outpatient procedure: Recovery time is generally short, and many patients can return home on the same day or the following day.
2. HIFU
After undergoing SIRT Y-90, patients may also be recommended to receive HIFU as part of a complementary treatment strategy.
HIFU is a technology that uses high-energy ultrasound waves to target and destroy tumor tissue without requiring incisions or surgery.
The ultrasound energy is focused directly on the tumor, generating intense heat that destroys cancer cells. This process, known as thermal ablation, is performed with high precision, allowing effective tumor treatment while preserving the surrounding healthy liver tissue.
The following are the advantages of HIFU for liver cancer:
- Does not require surgery or incisions, making it less invasive than open surgery.
- Can be an option for patients who are not candidates for surgery, particularly when tumors are located near vital organs or major blood vessels.
- Helps reduce the size of liver tumors, including those in advanced-stage liver cancer.
- May help relieve cancer-related pain, potentially improving quality of life.
- Recovery time is generally faster compared to open surgery because there are no large surgical wounds.
- Can be used in complex liver cancer cases, including those involving portal vein tumor thrombus (blockage of the main blood vessel leading to the liver by a tumor).
Global Use of SIRT Y-90 and HIFU: Applied in Hundreds of Thousands of Cases Across Dozens of Countries
Although they may still be relatively unfamiliar to many people in Indonesia, SIRT Y-90 and HIFU are not new technologies in the medical field. Both therapies have been used for many years in various countries and have become part of treatment options for a wide range of tumors and cancers, including liver cancer.
SIRT Y-90 has been widely utilized in liver cancer treatment at leading cancer centers around the world. To date, the therapy has been performed in more than 100,000 cases across over 1,000 healthcare facilities in more than 40 countries.
Meanwhile, HIFU technology has been used in more than 37 countries, including the United Kingdom, Spain, China, Germany, and Italy. Globally, more than 500,000 cases have been treated using this technology for various medical conditions. HIFU has also received recognition from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CE certification in Europe, further demonstrating its international acceptance.
HIFU Experts for Liver Cancer at Mandaya Royal Puri Hospital
Treating liver cancer with a combination of SIRT Y-90 and HIFU requires collaboration among multiple specialists to ensure each patient receives therapy tailored to their condition. At Mandaya Royal Puri Hospital, this service is supported by a team of experienced physicians specializing in liver disease and interventional radiology.
1. dr. Sugianto Santoso, Sp.Rad (K)RI
dr. Sugianto Santoso, Sp.Rad (K)RI is a consultant interventional radiologist with extensive experience in managing various tumor cases through minimally invasive procedures. In daily practice, he utilizes imaging technologies such as ultrasound, CT scans, MRI, and fluoroscopy to ensure procedures are performed accurately and precisely.
In addition to providing HIFU services, dr. Sugianto is experienced in various interventional procedures, including TACE, Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA), and Microwave Ablation. He completed his medical degree at Maranatha Christian University and his radiology specialty training at the University of Indonesia.
dr. Sugianto Santoso, Sp.Rad (K)RI is available at Mandaya Royal Puri Hospital on:
- Tuesday: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM WIB
- Thursday: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM WIB
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM WIB
2. dr. Hendra Koncoro, Sp.PD-KGEH
dr. Hendra Koncoro, Sp.PD-KGEH is a consultant gastroenterology and hepatology specialist who focuses on treating digestive tract and liver diseases. The conditions he manages include liver cancer, fatty liver disease, liver cirrhosis, gallstones, liver nodules, and bile duct cancer.
He completed his medical degree at Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia and later pursued a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences as well as internal medicine specialty training at Udayana University. He obtained his gastroenterology and hepatology consultant qualification from the University of Indonesia.
In clinical practice, dr. Hendra provides comprehensive evaluation and management of liver and gastrointestinal diseases. Available assessments include liver function tests, kidney function tests, lipid profiles, urinalysis, and imaging studies such as CT scans and MRI to help establish an accurate diagnosis.
dr. Hendra Koncoro, Sp.PD-KGEH is available at Mandaya Royal Puri Hospital on:
- Wednesday: 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM WIB
- Saturday: 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM WIB
To make your visit to Mandaya Royal Hospital Puri more convenient, use the WhatsApp Chat feature, Book Appointment service, or the Care Dokter application available on Google Play and the App Store to schedule appointments, view queue numbers, and access other important information.
The information provided on this page is intended for educational and general informational purposes only and does not represent the full range of medical services that may be performed by each physician. To ensure treatment that is appropriate for your health condition, consultation with the relevant physician is recommended.
If you have any questions, suggestions, or require further information, please contact our call center at 0811-1900-2000.
