Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven: Gastrointestinal Cancers Program

M. Wasif Saif, MD, meets with a patient receiving chemotherapy

“Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven works in partnership with the nationally recognized Yale Cancer Center and benefits from its ground-breaking research and world-class physicians. Our physicians have special expertise in the treatment of cancers of the pancreas, colon and rectum.”

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Each year, nearly 200,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with some form of gastrointestinal cancer. Many of these cancers are too complex or difficult to treat with just one modality. The Gastrointestinal Cancers Program provides all gastrointestinal cancer patients with a truly multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of their complex disease.

Patients are seen on an individual basis by several cancer specialists — a medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, gastroenterologist and a surgeon — on their initial visit to Smilow Cancer Hospital. These physicians work together to develop a comprehensive treatment plan that is clear and concise. In one visit, patients encounter a team of physicians who work together, combining their skills and knowledge to provide the highest quality of care.

Physicians in the Gastrointestinal Cancers Program care for patients with gastric bile duct, gallbladder, liver, gastrointestinal, colon and rectal cancers. Using a team approach, our physicians collaborate with diagnostic and interventional radiologists, gastroenterologists, hepatologists and pathologists to provide the most advanced care available. Our diagnostic imaging services include: endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scans, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration.

Symptoms

Although other conditions may cause the same symptoms, you should consult a doctor with any of the following:

Ascites (build-up of fluid in the abdomen)
Bloating
Blood in the stool
Fever
Heartburn
Indigestion and stomach discomfort
Itchy skin
Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes)
Loss of appetite
Lumps in the abdomen
Nausea and vomiting
Pain or cramps in the middle of the abdomen
Trouble swallowing
Unexplained weight loss

Risk Factors

Age, diet and health history can affect the risk of developing gastrointestinal cancers.

Treatment Options

The program offers nationally accepted treatment plans for patients who have recently been diagnosed with cancer, and carefully customized plans for patients who have not responded to prior therapies, as well as clinical trials for both groups of patients, when appropriate.

Surgery
Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE)
Liver transplantation
Chemotherapy
Radiation therapy