Insights

AUGUST 11, 2009

Colon and Other Gastrointestinal Tract Cancers: Treatment Advances

J. Randolph Hecht, MD

Colon cancer is one of the most commonly occurring cancers in men and women in the United States. Cancers of the gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver, bile ducts, rectal and colon) are often not talked about, which is unfortunate because this silence perpetuates lack of early diagnosis and treatment.  Colon cancer is usually preventable or treatable when patients are screened according to current recommendations. New radiologic and genetic technologies may improve screening in the future but colonoscopy can prevent most colorectal cancers today.   Chemotherapy and other targeted treatments can increase the chance of cure and exciting new biological therapies are helpful to colorectal cancer patients.  Dr. Hecht discusses the biology of these cancers and the recent advances in the treatment of local and widespread disease. Current research in prevention, early detection and the effect of family history on risk of GI tract cancers are also presented.

J. Randolph Hecht, MD, is a Professor of Clinical Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA. He is a member of the Divisions of Hematology/ Oncology and Digestive Diseases, and is trained in medical oncology and gastroenterology.  He has published widely on cancers of the GI tract. He currently has research protocols underway examining the basic biology of gastrointestinal cancers as well as leading national and international studies using drug, biological and viral therapy for advanced malignancies. He is the director of the UCLA GI Oncology Program and specializes in treating patients with malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract.