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Your life is busy and this is not in your plans. You likely came to see us with some troubling symptoms and have learned that it’s possible that you have a GI-related cancer. TriHealth’s Cancer & Blood Institute will work to make your journey as simple as we can. We will walk you through each test, each trial and the process so that it makes sense and is easy to understand. We treat GI cancer patients on a daily basis and provide extraordinary care.
Through the Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer Program at TriHealth, we offer a comprehensive team of experts, working collaboratively to ensure that our patients get the highest quality of care possible. There are more treatments then ever for patients diagnosed with GI cancers. It's critical to approach each patient from a multidisciplinary perspective – and that's what we do. This means considering how all phases of treatment, like surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and more, can work together to provide the best possible outcomes. We're dedicated to delivering:
This is a wide category and covers a variety of cancer types. You likely have been referred to us as you have experienced symptoms. Through early testing, your doctor may let you know that you have one of these types. This often will require testing.
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer is a term for the group of cancers that affect the digestive system. This includes cancers of the esophagus, gallbladder, liver, pancreas, stomach, small intestine, bowel (large intestine or colon and rectum), and anus.
GI cancers do not discriminate between men and women.
Our clinical trials are designed to find better treatments.
Treatment for GI cancer will depend on the type of cancer, the stage or its development, and other health factors. Treatment commonly includes surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Approximately 350,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with a gastrointestinal (GI) cancer each year. Our GI cancer program has specialists that focus on each of these specific cancer types to support patients through all phases of their care.
Some of the more common GI cancers we treat include:
Bowel cancer is sometimes known as colorectal cancer. The bowel is part of the body’s digestive system, which connects the stomach to the anus. Together the large colon (large intestine) and rectum are known as the bowel. Bowel cancer is a diseased growth that usually develops inside the large bowel. Most bowel cancers develop from small growths inside the colon or rectum called polyps, which look like small spots on the bowel lining or like cherries on stalks.Not all polyps become cancerous. A test called a colonoscopy, involving a tube inserted into the bowel, is used to test for polyps. If polyps are detected and removed, the risk of bowel cancer is reduced.
The stomach is a muscular sack-like organ that receives and stores food from the esophagus. Once the food is broken down, it is passed from the stomach to the small bowel, where nutrients begin to be absorbed into the bloodstream.
Most stomach cancers develop in cells that line the mucosa and are called adenocarcinoma of the stomach. Stomach cancer (also known as gastric cancer) develops slowly – it may take many years before any symptoms are felt.
Just over 2,000 people are diagnosed with stomach cancer each year. This figure includes a small number of people diagnosed with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) or neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) – relatively rare cancers that are found mostly in the stomach but can occur elsewhere in the digestive system. Their symptoms and progress vary widely.
The liver is a key organ in the body. It produces bile, which breaks down the fats in food so that they can be absorbed from the bowel. The liver helps process fats and proteins, some of which are essential for blood clotting. The liver stores glycogen which is made from sugars to fuel the body. It also helps to process alcohol, some medicines, toxins and poisons to remove them from the body.
The esophagus is the food pipe that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. The esophagus has three main sections – the upper, middle and lower. Cancer can develop anywhere along the length of the esophagus.
Glands in the wall of the esophagus produce mucus to help food slide down more easily when swallowing. These glands can become cancerous to produce adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.
The pancreas is a thin, lumpy gland that lies between the stomach and spine. It is about 13 cm long and is joined by a special duct (the pancreatic duct) to the first part of the small bowel (called duodenum). The pancreas plays two major roles in the body: to produce insulin, which controls the amount of sugar in the blood; and to produce enzymes, which help in food digestion.
Pancreatic cancer begins in the lining of the pancreatic duct. It spreads into the body of the pancreas before moving into the blood vessels and nerves around the pancreas, obstructing the bile duct. Cancer that develops in the pancreas may also spread via the blood or the lymphatic system to other parts of the body.
If diagnosed early, cancerous tumors in the pancreas are usually removed by surgery. However, this is not always possible as the cancer is often detected after it has spread from the pancreas to outlying tissues and organs.
Many of our patients remain in remission. During this time, our health care team provides a guide to stay healthy and a synopsis of what to expect. This begins the day you walk through our doors until you are in remission and sometimes longer.