Has anyone had SIRT treatment for liver mets?

[MrsG]

Hello, sorry I've not been on here for a while. I've just had my 2nd SIRT at Hammersmith Hosp in London. They prefer to do it in 2 sessions so that your liver is not too badly damaged. Fairly straightforward and painless although a little uncomfortable. I'm just waiting for follow up scans now. Hope this helps, let me know if you need any more info. Good luck!

[Miss D]

Wow !! That is amazing I'd be interested in this very much ! I have secondary in my liver and bone from primary BC ...! I attend Christie hospital can you give me any advice re being referred for this or should I again mention it to my oncologist X

[kittycat40]

Hi Julia sorry I haven't been on the forum for a little while. I saw a bowel cancer consultant regarding the SIRT as it is usually used to treat bowel cancer patients. They have fairly recently given it to BC patients and found it can work. They give 3 cycles of Folfox (5FU, oxaliplatin etc) chemo with the SIRT. Christies and Nottingham do the SIRT but I am not sure where else do it. Hope you are ok. Best wishes xx

[Cress]

Sorry, that should have been addressed to kittycat AND MrsG!

Thanks x

[Cress]

Hello kittycat,

I'm v interested in the possibility of SIRT or RFA. I was dx in March de novo metastic (several liver mets at present - largest about 2.5cm). Just wonder which London hospitals do the procedure. I know that King's and the Marsden seem to offer RFA on a fairly regular basis, but I'm not sure who does SIRT or how to go about investigating it as a possible treatment. I had a neighbour who had it at St. Thomas's for testicular cancer (over 5 yrs ago), but had never heard of it for liver mets until I happened upon this thread. Any info would be sooooo gratefully received.

Also, if you don't mind me being nosey, what kind of chemo are you receiving?  

Best,

Julia

[kittycat40]

Hi mrs G I had SIRT last week. I had to go for a trial work up 2 wks before. They go into your main artery in your groin and map where the blood flows to. They insert coils to stop the beads going to other organs. It was straight forward apart from having to lie still for hours! The actual beads procedure was quicker and nothing to it really. I had a reaction to the dye I think as I had severe indigestion pain but I am fine now. I feel tired and little out of sorts but I am having chemo as well. All the best to you xx

[MrsG]

Hi, this is the first time I've posted. Diagnosed with liver and bone mets over 2 years ago and waiting for a referral for SIRT in London. Welcome any advice/help/tips. Thanks!

[MrsG]

Hi, This is the first time I've posted (so hope i'm doing it right!) I have secondaries to bones and liver. Diagnosed over 2 years ago. I'm waiting on a referral for SIRT in London and would welcome any tips/help/advice. Thanks.

[oasthouses]

Hi Mrs Blue - any idea how successful sirt was on your friend? Thank you! Gillian

[FurryBoots]

They do SIRT at The Christie in Manchester. It's private and cost between £25 and £30K

[roxy12]

Hi, horsie, sorry for late reply. I'm glad to see you posting again. Well done for going through all that treatment. It can't have been easy but it has done you well.

Hope things continue to go the right way. I'm sure they will. You sound a strong lady.

Lots of love. Sheila. Xxx

[horsie5050]

Haya, next MRI not until end of Feb. The SIRT won't continue to shrink them until they have gone, presumably the radiation inside my liver strength diminishes over time and will stop working, which is where I am back to chemo/hormone therapy.xxx

[Gillg78]

When is your next scan due horse?a

[horsie5050]

Hi. The SIRT itself is painless, you are asleep under a general.but as you have had about 70 times the dose of external rads you are sooooo sick...spend 3 days throwing up in a private hospital which I could not even eat their delicious food. Was tired for about 4 weeks after. But the scan at 6 weeks showing 40% reduction in volume of all my tumours cheered me up no end and felt it was well worth it. Xx

[kittycat40]

Hi sorry I have just read your post from 3 Nov and can see that SIRT has worked for you. I would be interested in how the procedure went for you though, side effects etc. Thank you x

[kittycat40]

Hi thank you for your reply. How did you get on with SIRT? Did you have any side effects and has it worked for you?

[horsie5050]

Hi. Kitty's at, I had my SIRT in Harley St, am not aware of anyone doing it outside London for bc patients. It is done at a few hospitals for colorectal cancers, but you need a specialist who is an expert in this , very expensive, field. Message me if you would like info on doctors. But it is done by an Interventional Radiologist, google your area and see if you have any. Good luck..

[kittycat40]

Hi everyone, I am coming to the end of my last chemo and I am looking into possibly having RFA or SIRT. Does anyone have any experience of these please? Also if you know of anyone who can do RFA in the Midlands? My Onc doesn't know much about these treatments. Been to Christies etc about SIRT but not anyone re the RFA. Struggling to find out much info on the net about what to do in what order! The chemo has shrunk the tumours a bit so would like to try to keep this going! X

[horsie5050]

Hi, just have 1 in my left hip bone, has been 2cms for nearly 4 years..had finished Eribulin a few months before and on Letrazole at the time of the procedure..once I had the SIRT I then went onto fec (again) have finished that 6 cycles and now on another hormone therapy now for stability....x

[Gillg78]

Horsie, can you give anti more info? Do you have any other mets? Where you on chemo at the time of SIRT? Or did you have to come off chemo for treatment. Also have you bone mets and if so were you able to take bone strengtheners during treatment time? Thanks

[horsie5050]

Hi. Haven't been in here for ages and have just seen your message. Yes, I have had SIRT. It was developed for colorectal cancers which had spread to the liver but interventional radiologists are now using it for bc patients where it has spread to the liver, with more success.. The bc tumours respond better to SIRT than others! It is not available on the nhs for bc patients at the mo. It's about £30,000. I had a 9.8cm tumour and 4 others measuring about 3-4 cms. My consultant is  in The London Oncology Clinic in Harley St. After 5 weeks tumours shrunk by 50 %, had it done end of May and they are still shrinking. The massive dose of radioactive beads stays in you for a while and keeps working. My largest tumour is now just under 3cm!!!! My insurance company paid for it...x

[mrsblue]

Hi Nicola, glad you found the link.  Yes I have liver mets but I have not had SIRT and I don't think I would qualify, too many mets and they are not clearly defined on scans (which is why I now have PET-CT scans rather than standard CT scans).  But I did know someone who had SIRT, some years ago. I don't think it was on the NHS!

[FMJT60]

Nicola

I'm at the clinic on Thursday, I will ask my oncologist then. I'm sure she said it would be at Christies if I wanted to do it. I believe it's done as a last resort but I'm no expert


Jane

[Foxyspringer]

Hi,
Thank you Mrs Blue for the link. Do you mind me asking if you have liver mets and have you had this treatment? I am trying to find out more about it but I find all the different drugs and treatment confusing.
Thank you Jane for replying, do you know the name of the consultant in England? I was told my liver mets weren't suitable for RFA because it might cause more harm than good. Like you though I would like to explore this more and maybe prove them wrong! My husband has just commented "girl power" !
Nicola x

[mrsblue]

There's an earlier thread about this,

http://forum.breastcancercare.org.uk/t5/Treatments-and-medical-issues/Radioactive-beads-for-liver-me...

(if the link doesn't work, the subject title is "Radioactive beads for liver mets").

[FMJT60]

I'm in Scotland and SIRT is unavailable on the Nhs. If I wish to go ahead with it I would be referred to a consultant in England but at a cost of £25,000. I do not think that SIRT is readily available but I would like to be proven wrong. Why did they say that RFA wasn't an option if you don't mind me asking

Jane x

[Foxyspringer]

Hi,
Has anyone had Selective Internal Radiation Therapy for liver mets? I have been told I am not suitable for RFA and also that SIRT isn't given to breast cancer patients. Does anyone have any experience?
Nicola x