Consider Intracavitary & Intra-arterial Chemotherapy in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV
Intracavitary and intra-arterial chemotherapy are methods of delivering concentrated doses of chemotherapy drugs to tumors in specific areas of the body.
Specific types of intracavitary chemotherapy include:
- Intrapleural, which is injected into the pleural space around your lungs
- Intrathecal, which is injected into the area around your spinal cord and brain
- Intravesical, which is injected into your bladder
- Intraperitoneal, which is injected into your abdominal cavity
Intra-arterial chemotherapy is delivered through an artery supplying blood to a tumor in a specific part of the body.
Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican offers alternatives to traditional chemotherapy like intracavitary and intra-arterial chemotherapy in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV. These delivery methods can be better for your body and immune system depending on your circumstances. Find a neurologist or neurosurgeon associated with Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican hospitals or call (702) 616-4900 to learn more about your options.
Why Perform Intracavitary & Intra-arterial Chemotherapy?
Intracavitary and intra-arterial chemotherapy techniques allow chemotherapy drugs to directly contact any cancer cells, more so than if chemotherapy is delivered through an intravenous (IV) line or taken by mouth. IV chemotherapy circulates throughout your body. It kills cancer cells, but it also harms normal cells and often causes unpleasant side effects. Intracavitary and intra-arterial chemotherapy focus the drug right at the cancer site, which allows higher doses of drug to be delivered and reduces the effect on normal cells.
Intracavitary and intra-articular chemotherapies may be an option for such cancers as:
- Appendiceal cancer (of the appendix)
- Liver cancer, including metastatic liver cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Brain cancer
- Ovarian cancer
Your Intracavitary & Intra-arterial Chemotherapy at Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican Hospitals
Although there are similarities, the procedures for each type of chemotherapy vary according to the type of cancer and its location. You may receive chemotherapy in a hospital either before or during surgery to remove the cancer. Chemotherapy before surgery can help shrink a tumor and make surgical removal of the tumor easier and potentially more successful. Chemotherapy may even take the place of surgical removal, such as for an inoperable liver tumor.
Oftentimes, the chemotherapy is given through a catheter, a narrow tube used for many types of medical procedures. The chemotherapy is injected into the catheter. You receive specific doses of chemotherapy at specific times according to your treatment plan.
Another type of intracavitary chemotherapy uses a small wafer soaked with a chemotherapy drug. This is shown to be effective as an additional therapy for some types of brain cancer. A surgeon implants the biodegradable wafer directly in the brain after removing as much of the tumor as possible.
Potential complications of intracavitary and intra-arterial chemotherapy procedures include infection, bleeding, and side effects from the chemotherapy itself, including nausea and vomiting. In most cases, the benefits of chemotherapy outweigh the side effects and potential complications.
Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican provides care for intracavitary and intra-arterial chemotherapy in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV, as a part of our neurological care.