A surprising diagnosis leads to a less invasive liver cancer treatment

In fall 2025, Daphne Decker, 81, went to see her primary care doctor after experiencing digestive symptoms, thinking she may have had an infection or something along those lines.

During the physical examination, she felt discomfort in her torso, which raised concern. Follow-up imaging and a biopsy led to an unexpected diagnosis: liver cancer.

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"Being diagnosed with liver cancer came as a total shock," Daphne says.

Due to Daphne's complex medical history, traditional surgery and chemotherapy were not the best treatment options for her.

Her care team at Aurora Health Care, including interventional radiologist Dr. Nathan Thompson, put together a plan to treat the cancer while minimizing the impact on her overall health.

This plan included Y-90 radioembolization, a minimally invasive liver cancer treatment, as the best way to target the cancer.

An innovative alternative to surgery, Y-90 radioembolization treats different types of cancer in the liver with thousands of tiny glass beads containing radiation. The beads are then put through the blood vessels with a catheter, delivering the radiation directly to the cancer cells.

Daphne received this treatment in January 2026 at Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center. One month later, imaging revealed the outcome Daphne and her family had hoped for — no evidence of active liver cancer.

"This minimally invasive treatment is a great option for patients and in Daphne's case, avoided the need for surgery and chemotherapy," says Dr. Thompson.

With this being an outpatient procedure, she was able to return to the comfort of her home the same day and be with her cat, Cookie.

"It was important to me to be able to get this treatment and then return home same day," Daphne shares.

Since then, Daphne has recently celebrated her 81st birthday and is looking forward to watching basketball this upcoming season, a beloved hobby of hers with the Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball team being her favorite team.

Through groundbreaking research, expanded access and deeply personal care, we are committed to walking with patients every step of the way — from discovery to recovery and everything in between. To find a doctor and learn more about Aurora Health Care's cancer care, visit https://www.aurorahealthcare.org/services/cancer.