Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Embolisation to stop bleeding from a tumour | CION Cancer Clinics
Embolisation can often stop a tumour from bleeding. A radiologist passes a thin tube through an artery in the groin or wrist, finds the vessel that is bleeding and blocks it from the inside. There is no large cut, so it can help people too unwell for an operation. It controls the bleeding rather than removing the cancer. This page explains when it is used, what happens and what can go wrong. CION Cancer Clinics’ surgical oncologists in Hyderabad can talk this through with you.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Muralidhar MuddusettyConsultant Surgical Oncologist · MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery, AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- Can embolisation stop a tumour from bleeding?
- Which tumours are most often treated this way?
- What happens once the decision is made?
- What can go wrong, and can the bleeding come back?
- What do the words in the notes mean?
- What do families often believe about this procedure?
- Common questions about embolisation for bleeding
The short answer
Can embolisation stop a tumour from bleeding?
Often, yes. Embolisation finds the artery that is bleeding inside or near a tumour and blocks it from the inside, using a thin tube passed through a blood vessel in the groin or wrist. There is no large cut, and it can often be done when an operation would be too risky.
Why tumours bleed
Tumours grow their own blood vessels, and these are fragile. As a tumour grows, or breaks down after treatment, those vessels can tear. The bleeding may be slow and steady, showing up as tiredness and a falling haemoglobin on blood tests. It may also be sudden and heavy.
What it is used for
Sometimes the aim is to stop an emergency. Sometimes it is to control bleeding that keeps coming back, so that a person needs fewer blood transfusions. It can also steady things so that surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy can go ahead later. In advanced cancer it may simply be a way to ease a distressing symptom, and that is a valid reason on its own.
This page explains the procedure. It cannot tell you whether it is the right choice for the person you are caring for. The treating team makes that judgement with you.
!
Heavy bleeding cannot wait for an appointment
If someone with cancer is vomiting blood, coughing up more than streaks of blood, passing large clots in the urine, bleeding heavily from the vagina or back passage, or is pale, faint and sweaty, go to the nearest emergency department now or call an ambulance. Take their latest reports and medicine list. Do not wait to see if it settles, and do not drive to a faraway specialist centre first.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistWhere it is used
Which tumours are most often treated this way?
Almost any tumour with an artery the radiologist can reach can be considered. These are the situations families meet most.
Bladder, prostate and kidney
Bleeding shows up as blood or clots in the urine. When washing out the bladder and other measures have not worked, the arteries to the bladder or kidney can be blocked.
Cervix and womb
Heavy vaginal bleeding from a cervical or womb cancer can be controlled by blocking the arteries in the pelvis. This is sometimes used to steady a woman before radiotherapy begins.
Lung and head and neck
Coughing up blood from a lung tumour, or bleeding in the mouth or neck, can come from arteries that are reachable this way.
Needs extra care because
- Arteries near the spine and brain lie close by
- Breathing can be affected by blood in the airway
Liver, stomach and bowel
A liver tumour can burst and bleed into the belly. Stomach and bowel tumours can bleed into the gut. Embolisation is often tried when an endoscopy cannot stop the bleeding.
During the procedure
What happens once the decision is made?
Finding the source
A CT scan with dye is usually done first to show where the blood is coming from. Blood tests check the haemoglobin, clotting and kidney function, and blood may be given at the same time.
Reaching the artery
The skin at the groin or wrist is numbed. You are often given medicine to relax you. The interventional radiologist passes a thin tube into the artery and steers it towards the tumour on an X-ray screen.
Blocking the vessel
Dye shows which vessel is bleeding. Tiny particles, small metal coils, a gel foam or a medical glue are placed to block it. The radiologist checks with more dye that the bleeding has stopped.
Afterwards
Pressure or a small plug closes the puncture. You lie flat or keep the wrist still for a few hours. Nurses watch your pulse, blood pressure and any fresh bleeding closely.
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Being straight with you
What can go wrong, and can the bleeding come back?
Embolisation is usually well tolerated, but it is not free of risk. The commonest effects are pain in the treated area, a fever and feeling sick for a few days. This group of symptoms is sometimes called post-embolisation syndrome. It usually settles with medicines and fluids.
Less common but more serious problems
A particle can travel to a healthy vessel and block it, which may damage the tissue that vessel feeds. The dye can strain the kidneys, especially if they are already weak. A bruise or swelling can form where the tube went in. Ask the radiologist which of these matter most for the part of the body being treated.
Why the bleeding sometimes returns
The tumour is still there, and it can grow new vessels. Some bleeding comes from many tiny vessels that no tube can reach. So bleeding may come back after days, weeks or months. The procedure can often be repeated, and the team may add radiotherapy or other treatment to keep it under control.
Who it may not suit
It may not help when no single bleeding artery can be found, when bleeding comes from veins rather than arteries, or when a person is too unwell to lie still. Very poor kidney function or a serious dye allergy also changes the plan.
On the notes
What do the words in the notes mean?
- Angiogram
- X-ray pictures of the arteries taken while dye is injected. It shows where the blood is escaping.
- Transarterial embolisation (TAE)
- Blocking an artery using a tube passed through the arteries, with no cancer medicine added.
- Contrast blush on CT
- The dye is seen spilling outside a vessel on the scan, which means active bleeding at that spot.
- Haemostasis
- Bleeding has stopped. "Haemostasis achieved" on the report means the procedure did what it set out to do.
- Palliative
- Treatment aimed at easing symptoms and comfort, rather than removing the cancer.
Commonly believed
What do families often believe about this procedure?
"If the bleeding stops, the cancer has been treated."
Stopping the bleeding treats a symptom. The tumour is usually still present. Ask the team what the next step is for the cancer itself, if any is planned.
"They are only doing it because nothing else can be
done."
It is often chosen because it is quicker and gentler than an open operation. It is used in early cancers to steady someone before surgery, as well as in advanced cancers to ease symptoms.
"Blocking an artery will kill the organ."
Most organs have more than one blood supply, and the radiologist tries to block only the vessels feeding the tumour. Damage to healthy tissue is a real risk, which is why the team explains it before you consent.
"We should wait and see if the bleeding stops on its
own at home."
Slow bleeding still needs to be reported to the team promptly. Heavy bleeding needs emergency care straight away. Waiting at home can let the haemoglobin fall to a dangerous level.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about embolisation for bleeding
Is embolisation an operation?
Not in the usual sense. It is done by an interventional radiologist through a small puncture in the groin or wrist, with no large cut. Many people are awake but relaxed with medicine. For someone too weak for surgery, this is often the main reason the team suggests it.
How quickly does it stop the bleeding?
When the bleeding vessel is found and blocked, the bleeding usually slows or stops during the procedure itself. Some old blood may still pass for a day or two, for example in the urine or stool. Tell the nurses if fresh red bleeding starts again, or if the person feels faint.
Will my mother need a blood transfusion as well?
She may. If a lot of blood has been lost, the team often gives blood before or during the procedure to keep her safe. Embolisation stops the loss. It does not replace what has already been lost. Her haemoglobin will be checked again over the following days.
What about her blood thinners?
Tell the team straight away about any blood thinner, such as aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin or apixaban. They will decide whether to pause or reverse it, and when it can safely start again. Do not stop or restart any of these medicines on your own, because stopping some suddenly carries its own danger.
How long is the hospital stay?
It depends far more on why the person came in than on the procedure. Someone admitted with heavy bleeding may need several days of watching and blood tests. Someone having a planned procedure for slow bleeding may go home sooner. Ask the team what they need to see before discharge.
Can it be done more than once?
Often yes. If bleeding returns, the radiologist can look again for a new or reopened vessel. Each repeat is weighed against the risks, the person's strength and what they want. Sometimes radiotherapy or another treatment is suggested instead to give longer control.
Is this the right thing to do in very advanced cancer?
There is no single answer. For some people it eases frightening bleeding and allows time at home. For others the effort of the procedure outweighs the benefit. It is reasonable to ask the team, including the palliative care doctor, what each choice would mean, and to say what matters most to the patient.
Is it covered by Aarogyasri or insurance?
Cover depends on your scheme and on the reason for the procedure. Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS, EHS and cashless insurance each have their own rules. In an emergency, treatment comes first. Call the helpline with the card details and the team will check what your own cover allows.
Meet the Specialists
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Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vinay Mamidala
MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)
Surgical Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Hematologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology
Surgical Oncologist
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Sources
- Cancer Research UK — About cancer
- American Cancer Society — Managing cancer side effects
- Macmillan Cancer Support — Cancer information and support
- National Cancer Institute — NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
Embolisation in Cancer: Cutting Off the Blood SupplyHow blocking a tumour's blood supply worksPost-Embolisation Syndrome After TACEThe pain, fever and sickness that can followBland Embolisation and Drug-Eluting BeadsThe materials used to block a vesselComplications and Red FlagsWarning signs that need urgent care
Talk to us
Worried about bleeding from a tumour?
If it is heavy, go to the nearest emergency department first. For slow or repeated bleeding, tell us what has been found so far and we will help you reach the right specialist.