Jennifer Matthews: Marilyn Routh and her husband Tommy were looking forward to retiring and spending time on their ranch.

Marilyn Routh: We were just all excited, couldn't wait. And, y'know, surprise, surprise, you have the big C. And it was like the whole world changed in one sentence.

Jennifer Matthews: Marilyn has liver cancer. Standard chemotherapy helped but left her sick in bed.

Then she learned of a new treatment called Selective Internal Radiation therapy. Doctor Robert Cirillo injects microscopic spheres that release radiation directly into the tumor.

Dr. Robert Cirillo: Because these particles are so small, they only get trapped within the tumor, and then you won't cause the side effects that you normally get from chemotherapy because it's only going after the tumor itself and not the patient's normal liver.

Jennifer Matthews: Marilyn had flu-like side effects at first.

Marilyn Routh: After that wore off, I felt Good. I was ready to take on the world.

Jennifer Matthews: It worked on her cancer, too.

Her scans from before and after treatment tell a lot, but not as much as the joy of being with her family. This is Jennifer Matthews reporting.