Medical oncologists are part of the Gastrointestinal Cancer team. With their surgical and radiation oncology colleagues, they evaluate patients for the best course of treatment and meet regularly with the team to monitor the patient's progress. Medical oncology treatment is administered by oral medication or chemotherapy. If the care plan calls for immunotherapy, medical oncologists manage that part of treatment.
Led by best-in-field doctors, this part of the team also includes nurse practitioners, chemotherapy-certified oncology nurses, and nurse navigators trained in oncology. Patients receive their chemotherapy or infusion treatments on Level 6 of the outpatient Cancer Center on Lauterbur Drive.
Stony Brook Cancer Center Offers New Therapy for Rare Pancreatic and Gastrointestinal Tumors
There’s new hope for patients with pancreas or gastrointestinal neuroendocrine (also known as carcinoid) tumors, a rare form of cancer. Tumors start in the intestinal tract, often causing severe diarrhea. The tumors can then grow and spread to other parts of the body, including vital organs such as the liver. Until now, patients with this cancer had limited treatment options. For all of the information, click here.
Immunotherapy
The body’s immune system is responsible for fighting off infection. Immunotherapy is a form of medical treatment that activates the immune system to help fight cancer. The treatments come from a variety of living cells, which can be yeast, bacteria, plant or animal cells. They are large proteins that are injected into patients either to provide proteins they no longer have, or to help treat specific diseases.