Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer includes all cancers of the organs in your digestive tract. This includes the stomach, esophagus, large and small intestine, pancreas, colon, liver, rectum, anus, and biliary system (gallbladder and bile ducts). When the cells lining one or more of the organs in the digestive tract mutate and begin to grow, they produce tumors and sometimes spread to the lymph nodes and other organs nearby.
The type of cancer is determined after a biopsy is reviewed. The extent of the cancer is then determined by state-of-the-art radiographic studies such as a PET/CT scan. Once the type and stage of the cancer are determined, the oncology team consisting of a surgical oncologist, a medical oncologist and a radiation oncologist will determine the most effective treatment plan for each individual patient.
Surgery for GI Cancer
Surgery is a standard treatment for most gastrointestinal cancers. Removing all, or part of the affected organ(s) is the most effective way to eliminate the cancer cells. Your doctor may also recommend chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or radiation therapy.
Radiation Therapy for Gastrointestinal Cancer
Radiation therapy is an important part in the treatment of GI cancers. Conventional 3D conformal radiation therapy, intensity-modulated radiation treatment (IMRT), and/or stereotactic body radiation treatment (SBRT) are used to deliver maximum radiation doses to tumors, with the least impact on normal tissues and organs. Image-guided radiation therapy is used during radiation treatment to monitor and deliver the radiation treatments with great accuracy. Many times the chemotherapy and radiation are delivered concurrently.