Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a cancer treatment method that combines two techniques, namely embolization and regional chemotherapy. During the procedure, a doctor finds the arteries that supply the tumor with blood and closes their lumen with tiny beads known as drug-saturated microspheres. These microspheres deprive cancer cells of their blood supply, and thus they die. In addition, within a few weeks, chemotherapy agents are released from the microspheres, which penetrate into the tumor in high concentrations. You are welcome to visit the Booking Health website if you would like to be treated with this procedure. On our website, you can find out the transarterial chemoembolization price and choose the option that suits the price at a specialized clinic.
What diseases can be treated with chemoembolization?
The transarterial chemoembolization procedure is most often used to treat liver metastases as well as primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma). The procedure is most effective for these diseases because it allows doctors to shrink tumors several times or completely eliminate them.
The success of the procedure is associated with the peculiarities of the blood supply to the liver. Tumors receive blood mainly from the hepatic artery, while healthy parenchyma receives it from the portal vein. Consequently, the blockade of even large branches of the hepatic artery does not lead to critical damage to the organ, but it strongly affects the blood supply to the tumor, most of which dies within a few days after the procedure.
The technique can also be used for other oncological diseases, such as stomach, lung, adrenal, thyroid, pancreatic, cervical, or rectal cancer.
What results can be expected?
Chemoembolization is a local treatment method. This means that it does not affect all tumors in the body, but only neoplasms within one site. After the procedure, the tumor will shrink or even disappear, but metastasis control is also required, which is carried out with the help of operations, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy.
For different tumors, chemoembolization or embolization can be performed for different purposes. Doctors usually strive to achieve control over the tumor process so that the neoplasm decreases in size and does not continue to grow for as long as possible. Chemoembolization allows doctors to achieve long-term control, which lasts for several years.
In some cases, embolization can be performed before surgery. This is usually done for one of two purposes:
- reduced blood loss during surgery as a result of decreased blood flow in the operated organ;
- prevention of hormonal crises during operations on endocrine glands.
Chemoembolization or embolization can also be used as a palliative treatment method, mainly to stop bleeding. For example, during the treatment of stomach cancer, gastrointestinal bleeding can be stopped, uterine artery embolization in patients with cervical cancer can eliminate genital tract bleeding, and bronchial artery embolization in patients with lung cancer eliminates pulmonary bleeding.
You are welcome to use the Booking Health service if you want to undergo your diagnostics and treatment of cancers with chemoembolization abroad. On our website, you can see the best clinics in Germany and other countries of the world, find out the procedure cost, etc. You can compare prices and choose a medical care program at a favorable price. The specialists at the Booking Health company will help you decide on the choice of a medical center, make an appointment on your preferred dates, and help you prepare the documents. The company’s employees will also fully organize your trip abroad and provide support throughout the entire period of your stay in another country.