Applications

1493 – Transarterial radioembolisation with yttrium-90 (TARE-Y) for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

Find out about the service or technology in this application and the medical condition it addresses. You can also view the application documents, the deadlines for providing consultation input and the outcome of the application when the MSAC process is complete.

  • Status Complete
  • Type New application
  • Pre-PASC consultation -
  • Pre-MSAC consultation -
  • Outcome Supported

Application details

Reason for application

New application.

Service or technology in this application

TARE-Y (also known as selective internal radiation therapy; SIRT) is a medical procedure for the treatment of unresectable HCC. TARE-Y utilises the differential blood supply of the healthy and tumorous liver (80% of the blood supply to the liver is via the portal vein and almost all the blood supply to liver tumours is via the hepatic artery), and involves the delivery of yttrium-90-containing microspheres of 20-60 ìm diameter. Two types of microspheres are available: resin (SIR-Spheres/Sirtex Medical Products) and glass (TheraSphere/BTG International Asia). The yttrium-90 (Y-90) emits high energy beta radiation with a mean tissue penetration of 2.5 mm (maximum 11 mm). Thus, the microspheres deliver a cytocidal dose of beta radiation to the cancer cells with minimal irradiation of normal healthy liver tissue. Because of the small size of the microspheres, tumour necrosis is largely caused by radiation, with only a minor contribution from embolisation due to the particles.

Type: Therapeutic

Medical condition this application addresses

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a type of primary liver cancer arising from hepatocytes, the main cell type found in the liver. The main risk factors for developing HCC are alcohol abuse and hepatitis B virus (HBV) or C virus (HCV) infection. The causes of HCC vary across countries, with HBV being the main cause in regions where infection is endemic (e.g. parts of Asia) and cirrhosis due to alcohol abuse, HCV or obesity being the main cause in regions where HBV in not endemic (e.g., North America and Europe). HCC is the most common type of liver cancer, and one of the most common types of cancers seen worldwide, being the fifth most common in men and the ninth most common in women. Due to its high mortality to incidence ratio (0.95) it is the third largest contributor to cancer mortality overall.

Application documents

Application form

Application form – Attachment 1

PICO confirmation

Public summary document – July 2018

Public summary document – March 2019

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Meetings to consider this application

  • PASC meeting: 11 August 2017
  • ESC meeting: 8 June 2018
  • MSAC meeting: 
    • 26-27 July 2018
    • 28-29 March 2019