Kevin Du, MD, PhD, MSCI, in honor of Abdomen Most cancers Consciousness Month < Yale College of Drugs

As we honor abdomen most cancers consciousness month, what would you like our sufferers and households to pause and keep in mind?

Abdomen most cancers is a really troublesome to deal with most cancers at superior levels and it’s a lot simpler to deal with when recognized at earlier levels when tumors are small and capable of be eliminated with surgical procedure. Take note of signs like unexplained weight reduction, fatigue, and altered consuming habits. Inform your physician in case you are anxious and so they can do fast checks to ensure all the things is okay or to catch abdomen cancers early.

What function do scientific trials and analysis play in advancing the analysis and care of sufferers with abdomen most cancers?

Medical trials are how we enhance our most cancers therapies. There are only a few scientific trials for abdomen most cancers in the USA, and the dearth of scientific trials actually slows down the flexibility to assist remedy extra abdomen most cancers sufferers. We have to do extra – it’s actually necessary to take part in affected person advocacy teams and assist to help scientific trials for abdomen most cancers.

What are among the greatest challenges you face in caring for sufferers with abdomen most cancers?

Sufferers typically have problem consuming and malnutrition due to the most cancers, in addition to unwanted effects of most cancers therapies. Getting professional dietary steering is important for supporting sufferers throughout remedy – and it is a good instance of how getting remedy at a Most cancers Heart with multidisciplinary abdomen most cancers specialists is necessary for affected person outcomes.

Are you able to discuss the usage of Stereotactic Physique Radiation Remedy and the way this may be made extra broadly accessible to sufferers?

Stereotactic Physique Radiation Remedy (SBRT) is a extremely exact radiation remedy that we will use to deal with spots of most cancers as an alternative of eradicating these spots with surgical procedure. We have to do extra scientific trials with radiation in order that we perceive the good thing about SBRT for abdomen most cancers sufferers. Once more, it is necessary for sufferers to advocate for and help scientific trial work for progressive therapies, like SBRT, for the remedy of abdomen most cancers. We have to do higher, and we will do higher if all of us work collectively!