SIR-Spheres Microspheres (Sirtex) improves survival for patients with inoperable Liver Tumours

A multi-centre study performed to date using radioembolisation report a significantly prolonged survival benefit following SIR-Spheres microspheres in patients with treatment-refractory Liver tumours from Colorectal and other Cancers. Among the 251 patients with Colorectal Liver metastases, median survival in the 220 patients treated with SIR-Spheres microspheres was 11.6 months, compared to only 6.6 months for the 31 patients who received standard or best supportive care (p=0.021). In 212 patients with Liver tumours from other cancers, including Cholangiocarcinoma, Neuroendocrine, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Pancreatic, Breast and Gastric Cancers, median survival was 9.5 months in the 180 patients treated with SIR-Spheres microspheres versus 2.6 months in 32 patients who received standard or best supportive care (p=0.013). The results of the study were presented at the 65th Annual Cancer Symposium of the Society of Surgical Oncology, by Associate Professor Lourens Bester, Director of Radiology at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney.