Detection of GI cancer early and when it is most treatable is essential. Stanford Health Care offers advanced risk assessment and screenings for many types of GI cancer. Find out more about our GI Cancer Prevention Program.         

At Stanford Health Care, you have many options for GI cancer treatment. Choosing the treatment that’s right for you depends on having a complete and accurate diagnosis. Our doctors combine decades of experience with the most advanced technology to precisely diagnose GI cancer. 

Based on your symptoms and medical history, your doctor may recommend one or more diagnostic tests:

• Blood tests: Laboratory tests can reveal problems with your health or GI organs. They can also detect chemical markers that some tumors release into the blood.
• Advanced imaging: We determine the size and location of GI tumors using imaging tests such as CT, MRI, PET and DOTA.
• Endoscopy: This procedure involves a thin, flexible tube with a camera (endoscope) that doctors guide down your throat. Your doctor uses the scope to view the inside of your esophagus and stomach and collect a tissue sample, if needed.
• Endoscopic ultrasound: An ultrasound uses sound waves to create detailed pictures of the inside of your body. Your doctor inserts a thin ultrasound transducer through an endoscope to see your upper digestive tract. 
• Colonoscopy: This screening test can find and diagnose colon and rectal cancer in its earliest stages when it’s most treatable. Your doctor inserts a probe into your rectum and colon to look for and remove potentially cancerous polyps.
• Biopsy: Your doctor collects a small amount of tissue using a needle inserted through the skin or during an endoscopy or colonoscopy. A pathologist examines the tissue under a microscope for cancerous cells.
• Genetic testing: Some types of cancer are inherited. If you have a family history of cancer, our doctor may recommend genetic testing to identify your risk. 

The goal of GI cancer surgery is to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Depending on the stage of your GI cancer, you may have surgery first, then another type of cancer treatment, such as medication or radiation therapy.

At Stanford Health Care, our GI cancer surgeons specialize in the latest techniques, including minimally invasive procedures and open surgery. Whenever possible, we use the least invasive treatments to shorten your recovery time and help you feel better faster.

You receive care from surgeons who have extensive expertise, completing the most GI cancer procedures in Northern California. We treat tumors that were previously considered inoperable and offer complex surgical options, many of which aren’t available at other cancer centers.

Our GI cancer surgeons perform:

• Laparoscopic and robotic surgery: With this minimally invasive procedure, our surgeons use a few small incisions, a small camera, and specialized instruments to remove GI cancer tumors. This includes complex operations such as the Whipple procedure for pancreas tumors.
• Endoscopic procedures: We can treat certain GI cancers, such as esophageal, stomach, and colon cancer, without making any incisions. With endoscopy, the surgeon inserts an endoscope (narrow, flexible tube with a lighted camera) through your mouth or rectum to perform surgery.
• Open surgery: Surgery for GI cancers may involve traditional incision to access and remove the tumor. 

Our medical oncologists are cancer specialists who use medications to treat cancer. Depending on the type of GI cancer, you may need one or more types of oral or intravenous (IV) medication, including:

• Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• Targeted therapy

As part of your treatment plan, you may receive cancer medications in combination with other treatments. We tailor your treatment to use the most effective medications with the fewest side effects.

Targeted therapy for GI cancer is an area of active research at Stanford Health Care. Targeted therapy agents recognize specific molecules on cancer cells and attack those cells. This precise approach avoids damaging noncancerous cells and can be highly effective, especially when combined with other treatments. Talk to your doctor to find out if you are eligible to participate in one of our targeted therapy clinical research trials.

Our radiation oncologists use precise pulses of high-energy X-rays to destroy cancer cells, while limiting damage to surrounding tissues. The types of external radiation therapy we offer include:

• 3D conformal radiation therapy
• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy
• Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR/SBRT)

Stanford neurosurgeons helped pioneered CyberKnife as a type of SBRT and revolutionized cancer care by treating tumors that were previously considered inoperable. Today, our advanced SBRT systems give our doctors the flexibility to select the most appropriate treatment for you.

Our interventional radiologists offer minimally invasive procedures to treat liver and other types of GI cancer. Interventional radiology delivers cancer treatment directly to the tumor. Examples include:

• Chemoembolization: Your doctor injects beads coated with a chemotherapy drug into the artery that feeds tumor. The beads offer dual treatment as they release the drug and block blood flow.
• Radioembolization: Similar to chemoembolization, this procedure uses radioactive beads that block blood flow to the tumor as they emit radiation.
• Tumor ablation: Your doctor uses a needle or probe to treat the tumor with microwaves, heat, or cold. Ultrasound ablation is a noninvasive way to focus ultrasound energy on the tumor.

Genetic mutations (changes) can increase the risk of certain GI cancers, such as colon, rectal, pancreatic, and stomach cancer. Our experienced cancer geneticists can identify a tumor’s genetic profile to help determine the right treatments for you, including targeted therapy. Learn more about our cancer genetics program.

At Stanford Health Care, we understand how cancer affects your body, mind, and spirit. That’s why we offer cancer care that extends beyond treating your physical health. Our Circle of Care approach helps guide you and wraps you in the services you need to navigate your cancer journey.