Yttrium-90 internal radiation therapy for hepatic malignancy

Surgical resection is the only potentially curative strategy in the treatment of patients with hepatic malignancy. Unfortunately, due to advanced stage, underlying liver disease, or medical comorbidities, most patients are inoperable at the time of presentation. As a result, various locoregional therapies have emerged for otherwise unresectable hepatic tumors. One such modality is Yttrium-90 (Y90) internal radiation therapy. Numerous studies demonstrate the safety and potential survival benefit of intra-arterial Y90 for primary and metastatic liver tumors. However, more data is needed in order to understand the exact role of Y90 in the algorithm of hepatic tumor management. This review presents the available literature on Y90 with the aim of defining the current status of Y90 in the armamentarium of therapeutic strategies for hepatic malignancy.