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Prior authorization request form

Indications

(1) Does the request meet this criterion: Unresectable and/or medically inoperable primary or metastatic liver malignancies 1. Unresectable liver only or liver dominant metastases from neuroendocrine tumors (e.g., carcinoids, pancreatic islet cell tumors, endocrine (tumor)? 
(2) Does the request meet this criterion: The tumor burden should be liver dominant, not necessarily exclusive to the liver? 
(3) Does the request meet this criterion: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status should be 0 or 1 or Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) of 70 or more? 
(4) Does the request meet this criterion: Life expectancy should be at least 3 months? 
(5) Does the request meet this criterion: Radioactive Yttrium-90 (90Y) microspheres treatment is allowed only in the outpatient setting unless the documentation supports the medical necessity of inpatient treatment II. Repeat radioembolization is considered medically necessary for new or progressive primary or? 

YesNoN/A
YesNoN/A
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Effective Date

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Last Reviewed

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Original Document

  Reference



Selective Internal Radiation Therapy

Last Review Date: May 8, 2026  
Number: MG.MM.RA.12dC5

Medical Guideline Disclaimer The treating physician or primary care provider must submit to EmblemHealth the clinical evidence that the member meets the criteria for the treatment or surgical procedure. Without this documentation and information, EmblemHealth will not be able to properly review the request preauthorization or post-payment review. The clinical review criteria expressed below reflects how EmblemHealth determines whether certain services or supplies are medically necessary. This clinical policy is not intended to pre-empt the judgment of the reviewing medical director or dictate to health care providers how to practice medicine. Health care providers are expected to exercise their medical judgment in rendering appropriate care. Health care providers are expected to exercise their medical judgment in rendering appropriate care.
EmblemHealth established the clinical review criteria based upon a review of currently available clinical information (including clinical outcome studies in the peer reviewed published medical literature, regulatory status of the technology, evidence-based guidelines of public health and health research agencies, evidence-based guidelines and positions of leading national health professional organizations, views of physicians practicing in relevant clinical areas, and other relevant factors). EmblemHealth expressly reserves the right to revise these conclusions as clinical information changes and welcomes further relevant information. Each benefit program defines which services are covered. The conclusion that a particular service or supply is medically necessary does not constitute a representation or warranty that this service or supply is covered and/or paid for by EmblemHealth, as some programs exclude coverage for services or supplies that EmblemHealth considers medically necessary.
If there is a discrepancy between this guideline and a member's benefits program, the benefits program will govern. Identification of selected brand names of devices, tests and procedures in a medical coverage policy is for reference only and is not an endorsement of any one device, test or procedure over another. In addition, coverage may be mandated by applicable legal requirements of a state, the Federal Government or the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for Medicare and Medicaid members. All coding and web site links are accurate at time of publication.
EmblemHealth may also use tools developed by third parties, such as the MCG™ Care Guidelines, to assist us in administering health benefits. The MCG™ Care Guidelines are intended to be used in connection with the independent professional medical judgment of a qualified health care provider and do not constitute the practice of medicine or medical advice. EmblemHealth Services Company, LLC, has adopted this policy in providing management, administrative and other services to EmblemHealth Plan, Inc., EmblemHealth Insurance Company, EmblemHealth Services Company, LLC, and Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York (HIP) related to health benefit plans offered by these entities. All of the aforementioned entities are affiliated companies under common control of EmblemHealth Inc.

Definition
Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT) — also referred to as radioembolization or yttrium-90 (Y-90) hepatic brachytherapy, is an outpatient transcatheter interventional technique whereby radioactive particles (Y-90 microspheres) are delivered directly to the liver tumor bed via the hepatic artery. Once implanted, the microspheres emit localized radiation.
FDA-approved radioactive microspheres include SIR-Spheres® (biocompatible) and TheraSphere® (insoluble glass).
Guideline I. Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) is considered medically necessary when the following criteria are met: A. Unresectable and/or medically inoperable primary or metastatic liver malignancies

  1. Unresectable liver only or liver dominant metastases from neuroendocrine tumors (e.g., carcinoids, pancreatic islet cell tumors, endocrine (tumor)
  2. Unresectable primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
  3. Unresectable metastatic liver tumors from primary colorectal cancer
  4. Treatment of unresectable liver metastases from breast carcinoma, ocular melanoma, cutaneous melanoma, or intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in the absence of available

systemic or liver-directed treatment options to relieve symptoms and/or possibly extend life expectancy B. The tumor burden should be liver dominant, not necessarily exclusive to the liver C. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status should be 0 or 1 or Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) of 70 or more D. Life expectancy should be at least 3 months E. Radioactive Yttrium-90 (90Y) microspheres treatment is allowed only in the outpatient setting unless the documentation supports the medical necessity of inpatient treatment II. Repeat radioembolization is considered medically necessary for new or progressive primary or metastatic liver cancers when: A. The member has had a previous satisfactory response to an initial radioembolization treatment as evidenced on results of a computed tomography (CT) scan or positron emission tomography (PET)-CT scan performed 3 months following the previous procedure. Response should be graded according to the revised RECIST guideline (Version 1.1)
B. The disease still must be liver dominant
C. Life expectancy of at least 3 months
D. ECOG performance status no greater than 2 or KPS of 70 or more E. There are no other effective systemic or liver-directed treatment options
F. The member has compensated liver function tests (LFTs)
G. Estimated lung dose and combined lung dose from previous embolizations are within acceptable dose volume constraints. Exclude an individual with lung shunting in which the lung radiation dose is greater than 25 to 30 Gy per treatment or greater than 50 Gy cumulatively for all treatments
H. Treatment should be given to a targeted tumor volume
I. Repeat whole liver irradiation is considered experimental, investigational, or unproven (EIU) and will not be certified J. Requests for a third radioembolization will not be certified K. All requests for repeat radioembolization are subject to medical review Limitations/Exclusions Only FDA-approved microspheres will be considered medically necessary. Requests for the treatment of liver metastases from other primary malignancies, including breast carcinoma, ocular melanoma, cutaneous melanoma, and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, will be considered on a case-by-case basis. These requests should be based on the lack of any known systemic or liver-directed treatment options for the member in an effort to relieve symptoms and/or possibly extend life expectancy. Radioactive Yttrium-90 (90Y) microspheres treatment is allowed only in the outpatient setting unless the documentation supports the medical necessity of inpatient treatment.

Revision History May 7, 2021 Added covered indication for treatment of unresectable liver metastases from breast carcinoma, ocular melanoma, cutaneous melanoma, or intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma Mar. 8, 2019 Added repeat radioembolization criteria Oct. 9, 2015 Added ECOG performance score prerequisite and life expectancy language Aug. 20, 2009 Added hepatoma

Applicable Procedure Codes 37243 Vascular embolization or occlusion, inclusive of all radiological supervision and interpretation, intraprocedural roadmapping, and imaging guidance necessary to complete the intervention; for tumors, organ ischemia, or infarction
75894 Transcatheter therapy, embolization, any method, radiological supervision and interpretation 77778 Interstitial radiation source application; complex 79445 Radiopharmaceutical therapy, by intra-arterial particulate administration Q3001 Radioelements for brachytherapy, any type, each S2095 Transcatheter occlusion or embolization for tumor destruction, percutaneous, any method, using yttrium-90 microspheres Applicable ICD-10 Diagnosis Codes C22.0

Liver cell carcinoma C22.1 Intrahepatic bile duct carcinoma C22.2 Hepatoblastoma C22.3 Angiosarcoma of liver C22.4 Other sarcomas of liver C22.7 Other specified carcinomas of liver C22.8 Malignant neoplasm of liver, primary, unspecified as to type C22.9 Malignant neoplasm of liver, not specified as primary or secondary C78.7 Secondary malignant neoplasm of liver and intrahepatic bile duct References

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  2. Cheng AL, Kang YK, Chen Z. et al. Efficacy and safety of sorafenib in patients in the Asia-Pacific region with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a phase III randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet Oncol. 2009 Jan; 10(1):25-34. http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(08)70285-7/fulltext. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  3. Chua TC, Bester L, Saxena A et al. Radioembolization and systemic chemotherapy improves response and survival for unresectable colorectal liver metastases. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2011 May; 137(5):865-873. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00432-010-0948-y. Accessed May 12, 2026.
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  2. Deleporte A, Flamen P, Hendlisz A. State of the art: radiolabeled microspheres treatment for liver malignancies.
    Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2010 Mar; 11(4):579-86. http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1517/14656560903520916?journalCode=eop. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  3. Gray B, Van Hazel G, Hope M, et al. Randomized trial of SIR-Spheres® plus chemotherapy vs. chemotherapy alone for treating patients with liver metastases from primary large bowel cancer. Ann Oncol 2001; 12(12):1711-1720.
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  4. Hendlisz A, Van den Eynde M, Peeters M, et al. Phase III trial comparing protracted intravenous fluorouracil infusion alone or with Yttrium-90 resin microspheres radioembolization for liver-limited metastatic colorectal cancer refractory to standard chemotherapy. J Clin Oncol. 2010 Aug 10; 28(23):3687-3694.
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  5. Hong K, Akinwande O, Bodei L, Chamarthy MR, Devlin PM, Elman S, Ganguli S, Kennedy AS, Koo SJ, Ouhib Z, Padia SA, Salem R, Selwyn RG, Yashar CM, Yoo DC, Zaki BI, Hartford AC, Trimmer CK. ACR-ABS-ACNM-ASTRO- SIR-SNMMI practice parameter for selective internal radiation therapy or radioembolization for treatment of liver malignancies. Brachytherapy. 2021 May-Jun;20(3):497-511. doi: 10.1016/j.brachy.2021.01.006. Epub 2021 Apr 3. PMID: 33824051.
  6. Kennedy AS, Dezam WA, McNeillie P, et al. Radioembolization for unresectable neuroendocrine hepatic metastases using resin 90Y-microspheres: early results in 148 patients. Am J Clin Oncol. 2008 Jun; 31(3):271-279. http://journals.lww.com/amjclinicaloncology/Abstract/2008/06000/Radioembolization_for_Unresectable_Neuroen docrine.12.aspx. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  7. Kennedy A, Nag S., Salem R. et al. Recommendations for radioembolization of hepatic malignancies using Yttrium-90 microsphere brachytherapy: a consensus panel report from the radioembolization brachytherapy oncology consortium. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2007 May 1; 68(1):13-23. http://www.redjournal.org/article/S0360- 3016(07)00097-1/abstract. Accessed May 12, 2026.
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  9. Kouri BE, Abrams RA, Al-Refaie WB, et al. ACR Appropriateness Criteria® radiologic management of hepatic malignancy. Date of origin 2007. Last review date 2015. https://acsearch.acr.org/docs/69379/Narrative/. Accessed May 12, 2026.
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  11. Kulick LM, Carr BI, Mulcahy MF, et al. Safety and efficacy of 90Y radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma with and without portal vein thrombosis. Hepatology. 2008 Jan; 47(1):71-81. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hep.21980/full. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  12. Lam MGEH, Abdelmaksoud MH, Chang DT, et al. Safety of 90Y radioembolization in patients who have undergone previous external beam radiation therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2013 Oct 1; 87(2):323-329. http://www.redjournal.org/article/S0360-3016(13)00634-2/abstract. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  13. Lau WY, Kennedy AS, Kim YH, et al. Patient selection and activity planning guide for selective internal radiotherapy with Yttrium-90 resin microspheres. Int. J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2012 Jan 1; 82(1):401-407. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360301610030610. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  14. Lau WY, Lai ECH, Leung TWT. Current role of selective internal irradiation with Yttrium-90 microspheres in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review. In June 15, 2023.
  15. t. J. Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2011 Oct 1; 81(2):460-467. http://www.redjournal.org/article/S0360-3016(10)00819- 9/abstract. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  1. Lewandowski RJ, Kulik, LM, Riaz A, et al. A comparative analysis of transarterial downstaging for hepatocellular carcinoma: chemoembolization versus radioembolization. Am J Transplant. 2009 Aug 9; 9(8):1920–1928.
    http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-6143.2009.02695.x/full. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  2. Llovet JM , Di Bisceglie AM, Bruix J. et al., Design and endpoints of clinical trials in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Natl Cancer Inst 2008 May 21; 100(10):698-711. http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/100/10/698.full.pdf+html. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  3. Llovet JM, Ricci S, Mazzaferro V, et al., Sorafenib in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma N Engl J Med. 2008 Jul 24; 359(4):378-390. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0708857. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  4. Mazzaferro V, Regalia, E, Doci R , et al., Liver transplantation for the treatment of small hepatocellular carcinomas in patients with cirrhosis. N Engl J Med. 1996 Mar 14; 334(11):693-700. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199603143341104#t=abstract. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  5. National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines. Biliary Tract Cancers. V2.2024. https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/btc.pdf. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  6. National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines. Hepatobiliary Carcinoma. V1 2024. https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/hcc.pdf. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  7. Nichols EM, Grabowski S, Hanlon A et al. Performance status (PS), number of lesions and interval from metastatic diagnosis treatment (IMDTT) predict for overall survival (OS) in patients treated with hepatic transarterial radioembolization (TARE) with Yttrium-90 (Y90) microspheres. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2011 Oct 1; 81(2 Suppl):S346–S347. Abstract 2281. http://www.redjournal.org/article/S0360-3016(11)02650-2/pdf. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  8. Salem R, Lewandowski RJ, Mulcahy MF, et al. Radioembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma using Yttrium-90 microspheres: a comprehensive report of long-term outcomes. Gastroenterology. 2010 Jan; 138(1):52-64.
    http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016508509015741. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  9. Salem R., Thurston KG. Radioembolization with 90Yttrium microspheres: a state-of-the-art brachytherapy treatment for primary and secondary liver malignancies. Part 1: technical and methodological considerations. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2006 Aug; 17(8):1251-1278. http://www.jvir.org/article/S1051-0443(07)60901-4/abstract. Accessed May 12,
  11. Salem R., Thurston KG. Radioembolization with 90Yttrium microspheres: a state-of-the-art brachytherapy treatment for primary and secondary liver malignancies. Part 2: special topics. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2006 Sep; 17(9):1425-1439. http://www.jvir.org/article/S1051-0443(07)60924-5/abstract. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  12. Sangro B, Bilbao JI, Boan J, et al., Radioembolization using 90Y-resin microspheres for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2006 Nov 1; 66(3):792-800. http://www.redjournal.org/article/S0360-3016(06)00958-8/abstract. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  13. Saxena A, Bester L, Shan L, et al. A systematic review on the safety and efficacy of Yttrium-90 radioembolization for unresectable, chemorefractory colorectal cancer liver metastases. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2014 Apr; 140(4):537-
  14. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00432-013-1564-4. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  15. Schwarz RE, Abou-Alfa GK, Ghassan K., et al., Nonoperative therapies for combined modality treatment of hepatocellular cancer: expert consensus statement. HPB (Oxford) 2010 Jun, 12(5):313–320. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1477-2574.2010.00183.x/abstract. Accessed May 12, 2026..
  16. SIR-Spheres® Microspheres Bibliography: September 2013. http://foxfireglobal.sirtex.com/sites/foxfireglobal.sirtex.com/files/user/sir-spheres_publications_774-u-1013.pdf. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  17. SIR-Spheres® microspheres (Yttrium-90 Microspheres). Package insert. Sirtex Medical Inc. Wilmington MA. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Updated January 23, 2003. Accessed March 19, 2019. http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf/P990065c.pdf. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  18. TheraSphere® Yttrium-90 Glass Microspheres). Package insert. BTG International Group. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Humanitarian Device Exemptions. Updated January 4, 2000.
    http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf/H980006c.pdf. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  1. Tsai AL, Burke CT, Kennedy AS, et al. Use of yttrium-90 microspheres in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and portal vein thrombosis. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2010 Sep; 21(9):1377-1384.
    http://www.jvir.org/article/S1051-0443(10)00508-7/abstract. Accessed May 12, 2026.
  2. Specialty-matched clinical peer review.
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