A first in New Brunswick for patients with liver cancer.

A cutting edge procedure called TheraSphere, also known as transarterial radioembolization, has been performed at the Moncton Hospital.

The outpatient procedure helps to block the blood supply to a liver tumour in certain types of the disease, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver metastases.

Radioactive glass spheres are injected directly into the tumour using this minimally invasive procedure.

It helps to shorten hospital stays, reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. Survival rates are also increased compared to previous treatments.

The first two patients were successfully treated at the Moncton Hospital in late September.

Horizon Health Network’s Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine teams have been working for several years to make this project a reality.

They plan to treat at least 15 patients at TMH during the first year of the project.

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, 90 New Brunswickers were diagnosed with liver cancer in 2023.