Gastrointestinal Cancer Care

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The Gastrointestinal Cancer Program at Lankenau Medical Center is a full-service program that can diagnose, stage and treat patients with cancers in all parts of the gastrointestinal tract, including the appendix, esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas and small intestine. Experienced in treating the most common types of GI cancers to less frequently occurring forms of this disease, Lankenau’s GI cancer team offers patients individualized care from diagnosis through treatment.

Jump to: Team | Diagnosis | Treatment | Pancreatic | Liver

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 Gastrointestinal Cancer Team 

• Joseph Bonn, MD, Interventional Radiology

• Ned Z. Carp, MD, Director of Surgical Oncology

• Albert S. DeNittis, MD, Chief, Radiation Oncology

• Bob Etemad, MD, Gastroenterology

• Gerald J. Marks, MD, Colorectal Surgery

• Theresa McHugh, DO, Medical Oncology

• Alicia A. McKelvey, MD, Cardiothoracic Surgery 

To schedule an appointment with a Lankenau cancer specialist, call 866.CALL.MLH or use the online appointment request form. Read more about Digestive Health at Lankenau.

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Making an Accurate Diagnosis

Early detection is critical for a successful outcome when it comes to GI cancers. Lankenau’s GI Cancer Program is designed to help our team reach an accurate and timely diagnosis. We offer the latest technology and expertise in screening and detection of GI cancers, including:

• Barium esophagram

• Upper endoscopy

• CT (computed tomography) scan

• MRI (magnetic resonance) scan

• Endoscopic ultrasound with fine needle aspiration

• High-definition endoscopy with narrow-band imaging

• EMR

• Thoracoscopy

• Laparoscopy

To schedule an appointment with a Lankenau cancer specialist, call 866.CALL.MLH or use the online appointment request form. Read more about Digestive Health at Lankenau.

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Finding the Right Treatment

Lankenau’s GI cancer team provides each patient with an individualized treatment plan. Plans are customized so that patients receive the most-advanced, least-invasive treatments with the fewest side effects. As often as possible, our team strives to preserve healthy tissue while destroying the tumor at its point of origin and any cancer cells that have spread.

Esophageal Cancer
Esophageal cancer is an increasingly common malignancy. Lankenau offers a range of treatment options that are dictated by the stage of the disease. Therapy may include any combination of surgical, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and endoscopic approaches.  

Lankenau takes a team approach to the management of esophageal cancer. Gastroenterologists work closely with medical, radiation and surgical oncologists to develop the best treatment plan for each patient.

Notable treatment options at Lankenau include:

• Radiofrequency ablation delivers controlled energy to remove Barrett’s metaplasia from the esophagus.

• Cryo-ablation destroys cancerous tissue by exposing the cells to super-cooled liquid nitrogen delivered through an endoscopic catheter system.

• Endoscopic Mucosal Resection (EMR) targets focal nodules and other abnormalities for deeper sampling or tissue removal.

• Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection is a technique that allows for effective removal of pre-cancerous tissue without the need for an esophagectomy or colectomy.

• Transhiatal and minimally invasive esophajectomy is a surgical option for patients with high-grade dysplasia or early cancer not amenable to one of the above therapies.

When patients present with more advanced esophageal cancers, our team of specialists will design an aggressive approach that might include a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy. Maintaining patient quality of life during such treatment is always of paramount concern.

To schedule an appointment with a Lankenau cancer specialist, call 866.CALL.MLH or use the online appointment request form. Read more about Digestive Health at Lankenau.

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Pancreatic Cancer
The rapid and aggressive spread of pancreatic cancer, its resistance to standard chemotherapy and its tendency to recur make it one of the most challenging cancers to treat. At Lankenau, our team creates comprehensive treatment programs for patients with all stages of pancreatic cancer. Emphasis is placed on identifying good surgical candidates and providing excellent post-operative care – two factors that contribute to optimal outcomes. When surgery is not an option, other therapies may slow the growth of the disease and help patients live longer, more comfortable lives.

Notable diagnostic and treatment options at Lankenau include:

• The newest and most promising chemotherapy drug combinations

• Advanced radiation therapy technology, including Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)

• Surgeons experienced in performing the Whipple procedure (pancreatoduodenectomy) and distal pancreatectom

• Biliary bypass surgery and endoscopic stenting of the bile duct

To schedule an appointment with a Lankenau cancer specialist, call 866.CALL.MLH or use the online appointment request form. Read more about Digestive Health at Lankenau.

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Liver Cancer
At Lankenau, an experienced team of surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, interventional radiologists, hematologists, gastroenterologists, and pathologists work collaboratively to treat patients with primary and metastatic liver cancer.

Notable treatment options at Lankenau include:

• Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation and cyro-ablation for patients who are not candidates for surgical resection or chemotherapy

• Advanced surgical techniques for hepatic resection and the management of hepatic metastases

• Specialized interventional radiologists who offer minimally invasive, non-surgical hepatobiliary interventions

• Long-term infusional chemotherapy treatments and regional perfusion chemotherapy

• Complex liver resections

To schedule an appointment with a Lankenau cancer specialist, call 866.CALL.MLH or use the online appointment request form. Read more about Digestive Health at Lankenau.