Vascular & Interventional Radiology

CHEMOEMBOLIZATION

Chemoembolization, also known as transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), is a treatment for tumors in which large doses of chemotherapy are directly administered at the site. This procedure spares patients from unpleasantness caused by traditional chemotherapy administered throughout to the whole body.

The procedure is performed by placing a small catheter (tube) into the artery and navigating with real-time imaging for guidance to the artery feeding the tumor. A high dose of cancer-killing drug is then delivered directly in the tumor while depriving the tumor of its blood supply by blocking, or “embolizing,” the arteries feeding the tumor.