Radiolabeled Glass Beads (TheraSphere®) in Treating Patients With Primary Liver Cancer That Cannot Be Removed by Surgery

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Confirmed diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
• * Histopathology confirmation may be waived in patients with a radiographically identifiable liver mass in addition to known laboratory or clinical risk factors for HCC, and/or an elevated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level
• No significant extrahepatic disease that may represent an imminent life-threatening outcome
• No evidence of potential delivery of greater than 16.5 mCi (30 Gy absorbed dose) of radiotherapy to the lungs on either the first yttrium-90 glass microspheres (TheraSphere®) administration or with cumulative delivery of radiation to the lungs over multiple treatments due to any angiographically uncorrectable flow to the gastrointestinal tract
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• ECOG performance status 0-2
• No hepatic dysfunction
• Bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL
• No vascular abnormalities or severe peripheral vascular disease that would preclude angiography or selective visceral catheterization
• No pulmonary insufficiency
• No evidence of detectable technetium Tc 99m macroaggregates of albumin flow to the stomach or duodenum after application of established angiographic techniques to stop such flow
• No contraindications to angiography
• No contraindications to selective visceral catheterization
• No other condition or cormorbidity that would preclude study treatment
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 30 days after study
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• At least 1 month since prior chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery
• No other concurrent investigational agents or anticancer therapy for HCC