Centers of Excellence

The Society of Interventional Oncology (SIO) is proud to host the Centers for Excellence Programs again in 2025. These sessions will offer a comprehensive, in-depth analysis on advances and use of conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE). Moreover, it allows visiting United States-based physicians the opportunity to walk through the patient experience in real time with evaluation of pre-procedural assessments including: laboratory values, imaging, ECOG status, etc. Visiting physicians will then follow the patients into the interventional radiology (IR) suites and observe a live cTACE procedure, giving an invaluable experience wherein you can interact with experts in the field and attending physicians at the host institutions.

Centers of Excellence Programs are scheduled in collaboration with the host institution. In 2025, prospective attendees can expect two programs (dates to be determined). Click the button below to express your interest in one of the 2025 programs.

Interest Survey

Attendees will be hosted onsite at a cTACE Center of Excellence, where they will work with expert physicians during live cases to:

• Outline pre-procedural medication regimens to help mitigate side effects of cTACE
• Summarize current drug selection and dosage recommendation for cTACE
• Review optimal in-room preparation of drug and lipiodol emulsion for cTACE
• Review appropriate equipment compatible with lipiodol
• Review angiographic approaches for catheter placement during treatment for cTACE
• Review real-time angiographic endpoints used in cTACE
• Suggest optimal embolic particle type and size
• Outline the role for adjunctive devices (e.g., balloon occlusion catheters, pressure enable drug delivery catheters, etc)
• Define safe treatment parameters for cTACE performed via extrahepatic collateral vessels

These sessions will give attendees a chance to:

• Participate in discussions on patient selection criteria, and who is appropriate for LDT
• Review current guidelines and approaches to patient with HCC, mNET, cholangiocarcinoma, and other conditions
• Discuss how to choose among liver-directed therapy options (ablation vs. DEB/cTACE vs. Y90 vs. SBRT vs. systemic therapy)
• Participate in presentations on the safety and efficacy data of cTACE to aid future tumor board discussions
• Learn the optimal preparation (“the recipe”)for drug preparation from pharmacy prior to arrival in IR
• Develop an outline for appropriate patient follow-up and strategies for when and how to re-treat
• Learn about the expected side effects from cTACE and garner tips on how to mitigate post embolization syndrome

This program is supported by an educational grant from Guerbet.