OSF HealthCare offers resources to provide you with all the care you’ll need, from diagnosis through treatment to rehabilitation and survivorship. A team of specialists uses an integrated team approach to health care ensuring you know your best treatment options.

Your treatment plan is as unique as you and your condition. The team will review your type of cancer and make an individualized treatment plan. In addition, a patient navigator will be by your side to advocate for you every step of the way.

A team of providers will review the treatment plan with you. They will also answer all your questions, ensuring you and your family completely understand the plan.

We have the latest diagnostic tools and treatment technologies ensuring we keep up with the pace of scientific progress. This includes minimally invasive surgery and robotic surgery. 

You can find the emotional and medical support you need at OSF HealthCare.

Gastrointestinal Cancers We Treat

The GI tract and the organs of digestion are responsible for more cancer deaths than any other system in the body.

Types of gastrointestinal cancers include:

• Esophageal cancer - Men are three times more likely to have this cancer than women. Your risk level increases with age.
• Gallbladder cancer - This rare cancer often does not have early signs and symptoms and may be found when removing gallstones.
• Liver cancers
• Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) – the most common type of liver cancer
• Cholangiocarcinoma – liver cancer that starts in the bile ducts which are the tubes that connect the liver and gallbladder to the small intestine.
• Pancreatic cancer - The pancreas is a small gland between the stomach and spine. Its job is to produce juices that help digest food and produce hormones to help control blood sugar. Since the pancreas is hidden by other organs it is difficult to diagnose early.
• Small intestine cancer - Cancer of the small intestines is rare. The small intestine is part of the digestive system that connects the stomach to the large intestines. 
• Stomach cancer - Men are twice as likely as women to be diagnosed with stomach cancer. The stomach is in the upper abdomen and is the first stop for digestion.
• Neuroendocrine tumor - These tumors are rare and grow very slowly. They most often occur in the small intestine, rectum and appendix but can also occur in the pancreas.

Treatments We Offer

Treatment for patients with gastrointestinal cancer may include:

• Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• Interventional endoscopy
• Interventional radiology – liver-directed therapies, such as ablation and embolization, for metastasis of unrespectable disease 
• Radiation therapy
  • External beam radiation
  • Proton beam therapy
• Surgery – including minimally invasive, robotic and laparoscopic resections
• Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) – A long flexible tube is passed down the throat to remove some small, early-stage cancers. 
• Targeted therapy

Care Team

You will have a dedicated team of expert radiologists and pathologists who work together to diagnose cancer. 

Our nurse navigators work to ensure that your diagnosis and treatment appointments run smoothly. They also arrange supportive service appointments with counselors, financial navigators and oncology dieticians.

Along with medical and radiation oncologists, you might require specially trained surgeons. A hepatobiliary surgeon specializes in liver, pancreas, stomach, gallbladder and small intestines surgeries. A cardiothoracic surgeon specializes in surgeries of the esophagus.

Other specialized providers and therapists, including pelvic floor therapists and ostomy nurses, work with you after your treatment.

The OSF Cancer Institute in Peoria provides you with additional specialist clinics if needed.

Specialized clinics are also available at The OSF Cancer Institute in Peoria. Clinics include:

• High-risk genetic clinic – a team of advanced practice providers who help you with the risk for hereditary cancers.
• Palliative care clinic – a team of physicians and nurses that support you with symptom management.