Y-90 is used primarily for the treatment of which type of cancer?

Yttrium-90 (Y-90) is a radioisotope that is primarily used in the treatment of certain types of cancer, most notably for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This cancer type often involves the use of Y-90 in radioimmunotherapy or as a form of targeted radiation therapy due to its ability to deliver localized radiation directly to the tumor cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

In applications such as radioimmunotherapy, Y-90 can be bound to monoclonal antibodies that target specific cancer cell markers, allowing for precise treatment of the lymphoma. This method has shown significant effectiveness in managing this type of cancer, contributing to improved treatment outcomes for patients.

Other types of cancer, such as lung, breast, and colon cancer, may not utilize Y-90 in the same manner or may favor different treatment modalities, making it less common in their management compared to non-Hodgkin lymphoma.