- Cancers in other parts of the body often spread to the liver, developing tumors which in many instances cannot be removed with surgery. Liver chemoembolization is a treatment that is routinely performed to control liver tumors in those who cannot have surgery. It has been shown to prolong survival, but does not cure the cancer. During chemoembolization very tiny beads (drug-eluting beads, or DEB) containing chemotherapy drugs (usually doxorubicin) are administered directly into the blood vessels of a liver tumor. The drug within the beads is then released into the tumor whilethe beads temporarily interrupt the tumor s blood supply.