TARE / Y-90 Radioembolization
Oncology
Starting from
$9,000
Up to $28,000 depending on centre
Typical duration
5–10 days
Including pre-operative work-up
Content reviewed for medical accuracy by: Dr. Rodina Ainasoa · Medical Content Writer & Health Communications
Overview
Transarterial radioembolization (TARE) delivers radioactive Yttrium-90 (Y-90) microspheres directly into the artery feeding a liver tumour through a catheter placed via the groin or wrist. Unlike TACE, which uses chemotherapy-soaked particles to block blood flow, TARE relies on localised beta radiation emitted by the microspheres to destroy tumour tissue from within while largely sparing healthy liver, making it an option for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma or liver metastases, including some with portal vein thrombosis unsuitable for TACE.
Your case is matched to a centre on the basis of clinical outcome data, not marketing. We coordinate every step — from pre-operative work-up to post-treatment follow-up — with a dedicated care coordinator.
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TARE / Y-90 Radioembolization
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Understanding TARE / Y-90 Radioembolization
Transarterial radioembolization (TARE) delivers radioactive Yttrium-90 (Y-90) microspheres through a catheter placed in the hepatic artery. Unlike TACE, which combines chemotherapy with an embolic blocking effect, TARE relies mainly on localised beta radiation to destroy tumour tissue, with a much smaller embolic effect — this is why it can be used in some patients with portal vein thrombosis where TACE would be unsafe.
Resin Microsphere Y-90 (SIR-Spheres)
Smaller resin-based microspheres loaded with Y-90 are infused into the tumour-feeding artery; a larger number of spheres is typically used per session compared with glass microspheres.
Glass Microsphere Y-90 (TheraSphere)
Glass-based microspheres carry a higher radioactivity per sphere, allowing fewer spheres to deliver an equivalent tumour dose, and are commonly used for higher-dose, more localized treatment strategies such as radiation segmentectomy.
Radiation Segmentectomy & Lobectomy
A highly targeted, ablative-intent form of TARE that delivers a very high radiation dose to one or two liver segments (segmentectomy) or a full lobe (lobectomy), used for smaller tumours where a curative-intent local dose is the goal.
The Treatment Process: Step by Step
TARE is typically delivered in two stages: a mapping/planning session and one or more treatment sessions, confirmed by your interventional radiology and hepato-oncology team based on your imaging and liver function.
Mapping angiogram & lung-shunt study
A catheter is passed into the hepatic artery via the groin or wrist to map the tumour's blood supply, and a small dose of technetium-99m (Tc-99m MAA) is injected to measure how much blood flow would shunt to the lungs, which determines the safe Y-90 dose.
Dosimetry planning
An interventional radiologist and nuclear medicine physician calculate the personalised Y-90 activity needed based on tumour volume, liver volume, and the lung-shunt fraction measured in the mapping study.
Y-90 microsphere infusion
In a separate session, usually one to three weeks after mapping, the catheter is repositioned in the same artery and the calculated dose of resin or glass Y-90 microspheres is infused, usually as a day case or short overnight stay.
Post-treatment imaging
Imaging (such as a Bremsstrahlung SPECT/CT or PET/CT) may be performed shortly after infusion to confirm the microspheres reached the intended tumour territory as planned.
Recovery & Follow-Up Timeline
Most patients are observed for a few hours after the infusion to monitor vital signs and the catheter access site before same-day discharge or a short overnight stay is decided.
Mild fatigue, low-grade fever, nausea, or abdominal discomfort (a mild post-radioembolization syndrome) can occur in the first week and is usually managed with simple medication.
Most patients return to normal activity within one to two weeks; liver function blood tests are typically rechecked to confirm the treated liver is tolerating the radiation dose.
Follow-up contrast-enhanced MRI or CT is scheduled to assess tumour response, with the exact schedule and any additional treatment session set by your interventional radiology and oncology team.
Source: Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) patient education materials; NCBI/PMC StatPearls chapter on transarterial radioembolization; American Cancer Society liver cancer treatment overview. Individual timelines vary and are guided by your treating team.
Known Risks & Limitations
- As with any catheter-based arterial procedure, there is a small risk of bleeding, infection, or vessel injury at the access site or along the catheter's path to the liver.
- Radiation-induced liver disease is a recognised but uncommon complication, particularly in patients with reduced liver function reserve at baseline, which is why liver function is carefully assessed before treatment.
- Non-target embolization — microspheres reaching the lungs, stomach, or bowel — is a known limitation the mapping angiogram and lung-shunt study are specifically designed to identify and reduce in advance.
- TARE is a local, liver-directed therapy — it does not address tumour spread outside the liver, so it is generally combined with surveillance or systemic therapy for disease that has spread beyond the liver.
Source: Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR), NCBI/PMC StatPearls, and peer-reviewed radioembolization outcome studies on PubMed/PMC. No treatment pathway is without risk; your treating team will review your individual risk factors before recommending an approach.
The CureSureMedico Care Pathway
Remote clinical review
Share your recent liver imaging (CT/MRI), AFP tumour marker results, and liver function tests. Our coordination team forwards your case to an interventional radiologist and hepato-oncology board for initial review before you travel.
Multidisciplinary technique selection
The receiving board reviews your tumour's size, number, and vascular anatomy, and your liver function reserve, to confirm TARE is appropriate and whether resin, glass, or a radiation segmentectomy/lobectomy approach fits best.
Consolidated treatment plan and estimate
A cost estimate covering the mapping angiogram, dosimetry planning, treatment session(s), and any inpatient stay is issued before you travel, with the expected timeline and risks explained clearly.
Mapping and treatment sessions
You attend the mapping/lung-shunt study session, then return a few weeks later for the Y-90 infusion itself, with short monitored recovery after each session.
Follow-up imaging and oncology handover
A discharge summary and follow-up imaging schedule is prepared for your home oncology team, since confirming tumour response and monitoring liver function continues well after you return home.
Global cost comparison — TARE / Y-90 Radioembolization
Average coordinated costs across our partner centres. Final pricing depends on clinical complexity and chosen hospital.
| Country | Avg. cost | vs. cheapest |
|---|---|---|
🇮🇳 India New Delhi · Chennai · Bengaluru · Hyderabad · Mumbai · Kochi | $9,500 | —chevron_right |
🇹🇷 Turkey Istanbul | $17,000 | +79%chevron_right |
🇹🇭 Thailand Bangkok · Phuket · Chiang Mai | $21,000 | +121%chevron_right |
Costs are indicative estimates and vary by procedure specifics, hospital, and clinical complexity. Request a personalised estimate for your specific case.
Frequently asked questions
Both are catheter-based liver-directed therapies delivered through the hepatic artery, but they work differently. TACE (transarterial chemoembolisation) injects chemotherapy-soaked particles that also block the tumour's blood supply. TARE (radioembolisation) injects radioactive Y-90 microspheres that stay in place and irradiate the tumour with beta radiation over days to weeks, with less immediate blood-flow blockage — which is why TARE is often used for tumours or portal vein involvement where TACE's embolic effect would be unsafe.
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