Yttrium-90 resin microspheres and their use in the treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a severe and rapidly progressive hepatic tumor. Surgery is often impracticable due to locally advanced presentation. On the other hand, chemotherapy has demonstrated only limited effectiveness. For these reasons, liver-directed therapies have been successfully applied for treating ICC. In particular, radioembolization with Yttrium-90 (Y-90)-labeled spheres has been reported to be a promising therapeutic approach for this neoplasia. Two commercial forms of Y-90-labeled spheres are available: glass (TheraSphere (R)) and resin (SIR-Spheres (R)) microspheres. The aim of the present paper is to review the existing literature on the use of the resin microspheres for the treatment of unresectable and chemorefractory ICC, focusing on the methodology, clinical applications and side effects.