Visiting the Interventional Radiology Suite: Hepzato Delcath

I recently had the oppotunity to visit the Interventional Radiology suite at UCLA Health to observe Dr. Siddharth Padia give a Hepzato Kit Delcath treatment to a patient with uveal melanoma metastasis. Hepzato Kit is a liver-directed therapy to treat tumors in the liver. This means that the drug is injected into the hepatic artery using x-ray guidance while the rest of the body's circulation is prevented from getting the drug. This procedure requires the expertise of a cardiac anesthesiologist, a skilled interventional radiologist and a perfusionist as well as a number of technical support staff to procure the drug and manage the treatment room. Here are my 3 take-aways: 1) Only people who can pass a cardiac stress test are good candidates for this procedure, so start working on your cardiac health today; 2) Hepzato may still be a possible treatment for advanced metastasis and you can have more than one treatment - be sure to stay on top of your scans; 3) Medicine continues to advance, we have and will have phenomenal treatments for patients who we otherwise might not have been able to treat.  Welcome to Finding Your Way with Ocular Melanoma, a guide to understanding everything there is to know about your experience with this rare cancer. Learn through the lens of my knowledge and clinical experience as a physician expert and passionate patient advocate. The more you know about ocular melanoma, the better you will do, and the better you will live. Let's go! For Tara McCannel's resources (including webinar links and link to my book!), visit my website: https://seyhart.com/ocularmelanoma The content shared on the Finding Your Way with Ocular Melanoma podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information provided must not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. As a listener, you are responsible for your own health-related decisions and must consider consulting with a healthcare professional for personalized medical advice.  Tara McCannel MD PhD is a an ocular oncologist, vitreoretinal surgeon and co-founder of Seyhart Wellness. She is also the host of the Mind Body MD podcast where she shares her passion for holistic health and wellness.