Center for Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Tumors

The Center for Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Tumors offers an internationally recognized comprehensive program that includes minimally invasive surgery and personalized care. Through clinical innovations, including robot-assisted surgery, patients return to normal activities more quickly.

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Personalized Care and Improved Quality of Life

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Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica provides a variety of treatments for Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary conditions.

Our center of excellence, located in Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, provides treatment plans for benign and malignant conditions supported by decades of experience, a multi-disciplinary approach, collaborated research, and ongoing clinical trials.

Our care team understands that each case is unique, while we treat every patient with dignity and compassion. We understand the challenges of coping with cancer and other life-changing decisions, ready to guide you every step of the way. With an outcomes-based approach and our multi-disciplinary team works to develop the most optimal treatment plan for you based on your treatment preferences and the expert input of our oncology teams, radiologists, and pathologists. Clinical excellence is our commitment to you.

 
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Healthgrades’ 2023 surgical award for Saint John’s Health Center

Get answers from the experts today.

“Our care teams are ready to support you and your family throughout the entire treatment process.”

– Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Tumors Team

GI and Hepatobiliary Conditions

The Center for Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Tumors diagnoses and treats colon and rectal cancer, esophageal cancer, primary and metastatic liver cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, fibrolamellar-hepatocellular carcinoma, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancers and other cancerous conditions of the gastrointestinal tract. We welcome your questions and recommend requesting a consultation with one of our specialists as soon as possible. We will discuss treatment options with you and your family, while offering additional details based on your condition.

Benign Esophageal Disease

Benign esophageal diseases can develop into esophageal cancer. These diseases include, achalasia, Barrett’s esophagus, esophageal diverticulum, esophageal strictures, esophageal web, esophagitis, gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), hiatal hernia, and Zenker’s diverticulum.
(See Benign Esophageal Disease)

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
Treatment for GI conditions may involve one or more types of treatment and specialists.

Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer starts in the colon or the rectum. These cancers can also be referred to separately as colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where they start, though they have many aspects in common.
(See Colorectal Cancer)

Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal cancer starts in the inner lining of the esophagus and then spreads to the esophageal wall and nearby organs. It can occur anywhere along the esophagus tube from the mouth to the stomach.
(See Esophageal Cancer)

Liver Cancer

Liver cancer is a disease of the liver that can develop as a primary or a secondary cancer (spread from another organ). It can be caused by several conditions including hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), chronic long-term infection, fatty liver disease, primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), excessive alcohol consumption, and various chemicals such as aflatoxins known to damage the DNA in liver cells.
(See Liver Cancer)

Pancreatic Cancer

There are typically no symptoms for pancreatic cancer until the cancer has spread to other organs, which is one of the main reasons why there are often poor outcomes for pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer death in the United States.
(See Pancreatic Cancer)

Stomach Cancer

Stomach or gastric cancer usually originates from the cells that line the stomach. This may begin as an ulcer or a polyp which may not cause any symptoms, or can cause significant pain or bleeding. In most cases, cancer of the stomach is usually advanced by the time it is detected.
(See Stomach Cancer)

GI and Hepatobiliary Treatment

Treatment for gastrointestinal may include minimally invasive surgery (robotic surgery), ablative treatment, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. These may be recommended individually or together depending on the extent of your condition. We may also recommend lifestyle changes with regard to diet and nutrition, as well as ways to optimize your quality of life.

Benign Esophageal Disease Treatment

Treatment of benign esophageal disease involves a multidisciplinary approach and may include lifestyle modifications, medications, endoscopic interventions, surgical procedures, surveillance, and management of high-grade dysplasia.
(See Benign Esophageal Disease Treatment)

Colorectal Cancer

It is our goal to always provide the best and most comprehensive care for colorectal cancer. Treating colon or rectal cancers usually requires a multidisciplinary team of experts; a surgical oncologist, a medical oncologist, a radiation oncologist, and a pathologist to identify subtle characteristics of your disease, and to provide an accurate diagnosis for the best treatment options and outcomes.
(See Colorectal Cancer Treatment)

Esophageal Cancer Treatment

Patients with symptomatic tumors may require several therapies to overcome the cancer. Those patients with disease localized to the esophagus and nearby lymph nodes are generally offered a course of chemotherapy and radiation for approximately six weeks and is followed by surgery.
(See Esophageal Cancer Treatment)

robot-assisted surgery for pancreatic cancers
Robot-assisted surgery provides a minimally invasive approach that results in faster recovery and shorter stays for patients.

Liver Cancer Treatment

Once a diagnosis of liver cancer has been established, additional tests may be required to determine the extent, or stage, of the cancer and the presence of other liver conditions, such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, and diabetes. These conditions can all affect the choices and outcome of treatment.
(See Liver Cancer Treatment)

Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive and deadly malignancies, posing significant challenges for effective treatment. Minimally invasive, robot-assisted surgery and interventions such as the Whipple procedure, distal pancreatectomy, and total pancreatectomy have expanded the options for curative treatment in localized cases.
(See Pancreatic Cancer Treatment)

Stomach Cancer Treatment

Surgery the primary treatment for stomach cancer and can be performed in a variety of ways including minimally invasive, robotic surgery. Understanding your surgery and post-surgical care will depend on how much of the stomach will need to be removed.
(See Stomach Cancer Treatment)

Call today to learn more about GI and Hepatobiliary disease diagnosis and treatment. Our multi-disciplinary team is ready to support you.

If you have questions about gastric symptoms or digestion related conditions, please call today. Click here to request an appointment.