The diagnosis and treatment of digestive system cancers
requires the expertise and care of surgical and medical
oncologists, gastroenterologists, and radiation therapists.
Diagnostic, and occasionally therapeutic procedures, are
also provided by pathologists and radiologists specially
trained in these diseases.
Unrestricted consultations and referrals channel patients
to the medical specialists capable of providing the most
appropriate and productive therapy, considering the type and
stage of the disease. Although multidisciplinary assistance
is employed for complex cases, the primary care and
decision-making rests with one physician. When combinations
of therapy are indicated, the timing and priority of each
are determined through multidisciplinary discussions.
Services
Potentially curative and palliative treatments are
available for almost all digestive system cancers. Common,
uncomplicated cancers, such as colon cancer, are treated by
widely accepted conventional therapy. In addition, current
and up-to-date protocols of adjuvant therapy are offered and
encouraged. Infrequent cancers, such as esophageal cancer,
may follow study protocols from the start. Treatment may
involve multidisciplinary approaches, including radiation
therapy, chemotherapy, endoscopic laser surgery, and
conventional surgery. Complicated cancers, such as advanced
colon cancer, may also follow investigational
multidisciplinary approaches to facilitate efficient
palliation. Rare and incurable tumors, such as unresectable
biliary and pancreatic cancers, may qualify for existing or
future protocols providing palliation. Currently, there are
protocols for managing many complex digestive system
cancers, some within national groups and some within UI Hospitals and Clinics.
Surgical resection with intent for cure and/or better
palliation is favored for difficult tumors of the pancreas,
bile ducts, and liver.
Additional literature
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