What type of therapy utilizes Yttrium-90?

Yttrium-90 is a radioactive isotope commonly used in microsphere therapy, a form of targeted internal radiation treatment. This therapy is often employed in the treatment of liver cancer, particularly in cases such as hepatocellular carcinoma or metastatic liver disease. In this procedure, tiny beads (microspheres) loaded with Yttrium-90 are injected into the blood vessels supplying the tumor. The radioactive decay of Yttrium-90 delivers localized radiation to the tumor while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue, allowing for an effective treatment strategy.

Other options such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy involve different mechanisms and treatment modalities. Radiation therapy, while it does utilize various isotopes and external sources of radiation to treat cancer, does not specifically refer to Yttrium-90 as a main component. Chemotherapy involves pharmacological agents to kill or slow the growth of cancer cells and does not directly use radioactive elements like Yttrium-90. Hormone therapy, on the other hand, targets hormonal influences on certain cancers and likewise does not relate to the use of Yttrium-90. Therefore, the specificity of microsphere therapy to Yttrium-90 illustrates its primary role in this context.