Sunday, March 31, 2013

Facilities

Comprehensive treatment for all GI cancers, advanced laparoscopy and treatment of other complicated GI diseases.

Treatment for GI Cancers:
Every cancer is different and hence treatment has to be individualized based on which organ the tumor is arising from, what is the stage of the disease and patient condition. Treatment of most GI Cancers is extremely complex. I with my team of dedicated gastroenterologist, medical oncologist, anesthetists, pain care specialist, critical care specialist, stoma therapist and physiotherapist at Medica Superspecialty Hospital provide a comprehensive multidisciplinary team approach to the care of cancer patients.

Here, I have attempted to simplify things so as to give a brief and simplistic overview of the treatment of GI cancers. Please note that descriptions given here are simplified for easy understanding, the actual procedure and treatment is much more complex.
The primary treatment of most GI Cancers is surgery. Chemotherapy is required in the post-operative setting only if the disease is advanced. If on initial work up the disease is found to be advanced and not amenable for surgery palliative chemotherapy is advocated.

Radiotherapy is recommended for rectal cancer and in selective cases of esophageal and GE Junction cancers.
GI Lymphomas should be treated with chemotherapy. Surgery is indicated only when there are complications like bleeding, perforation, obstruction or not responding to chemotherapy.

Malignant Surgery


  • Esophageal Cancer:
    Radical Esophagectomy with gastric or colon pull up. In this surgery the esophagus along with its adjacent lymph nodes are removed and replaced with a stomach tube or the colon.
  • Stomach:
    Whole or part of the stomach along with lymph nodes is removed and continuity is restored by joining the stomach with the small intestine
  • Pancreas:
    Cancer of the pancreas essentially involves the head of the pancreas and the treatment for this is a Whipple’s operation. This is a complicated operation which involves removal of the head of the pancreas with the whole of the duodenum, part of the stomach, gallbladder, bile duct and initial part of the small intestine. Following this the remnant pancreas, bile duct and stomach is joined up. A feeding tube may also be inserted for post-operative nutritional support.
  • Gallbladder:
    Surgery involves removal of the gallbladder with part of the adjacent liver and the draining lymph nodes
  • Cancers of the Bile duct:
    Removal of the bile duct with a portion of the liver.
  • Liver:
    Resection of the left or right side of the liver.
  • Colon & Rectal:
    Removal of part or whole of the colon. The colon is again joined up. Some patients may require a diverting stoma (an opening on the abdominal wall where stool comes out and is collected in a bag). This stoma and bag system is a sealed system with no odor and soiling. This stoma in most cases is temporary and is closed after 3 to 6 months. Only in a very few selected cases is the stoma made permanent. Some cases of rectal cancer may require radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy before or after operation.

    Please check (GI ) Cancer