Gastrointestinal Cancer Care

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Let's Beat Cancer Together

The Center for Hepatobiliary and Gastrointestinal Surgical Oncology at Monmouth Medical Center represents a collaboration between RWJBarnabas Health’s Rutgers Cancer Institute, led by Richard Alexander, MD, Chief Surgical Officer, and Monmouth Medical Center.

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The center’s professional staff is internationally recognized for leadership and expertise in surgical and multidisciplinary treatment of hepatobiliary (HPB) and gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. Our approach to cancer care is built on a foundation of values that we share in caring for our patients; compassion, communication, respect, teamwork, and a commitment to providing patients with timely, thoughtful, exceptional surgical care in the context of a multidisciplinary treatment plan. To that end, we value partnerships with other physicians who are invested in the patient’s cancer treatment.

GI cancer is a term for the group of cancers that affect the digestive system. This includes cancers of the esophagus, gallbladder, liver, pancreas, stomach, small intestine, bowel (large intestine or colon and rectum) and anus.

According to the American Cancer Society, taken as a whole, GI cancers have the highest incidence and are the second leading cause of cancer death (after lung cancer) in the United States. At Monmouth Medical Center, the Center for Hepatobiliary and Gastrointestinal Surgical Oncology offers timely, comprehensive, state-of-the-science evaluation and clinical service for individuals with cancer of the liver, pancreas, and upper and lower gastrointestinal tract.

Surgery is the standard from which all other modalities of therapy have evolved and can also have an important role in diagnosing and staging GI cancer. The surgical treatment of cancer requires highly skilled surgeons whose expertise spans the spectrum of specialized care.

The expert surgeons at the Center for Hepatobiliary and Gastrointestinal Surgical Oncology are skilled in the most sophisticated surgical techniques, including such state-of-the art, minimally invasive procedures as laparoscopic and robotic-assisted surgery. They provide interdisciplinary diagnostic and treatment options that include:

  • Prevention in high-risk populations
  • Early diagnosis
  • Therapeutic evaluations
  • Multidisciplinary management of patients with cancer and pre-cancerous conditions
  • Treatment of advanced disease

Patient Navigation

At Monmouth Medical Center, patient navigators are here to provide you with personalized guidance, information, and support throughout your journey through the health care system.

The navigator can effectively help you to anticipate and avoid potential obstacles to care:

  • Health care barriers
  • Physical barriers
  • Financial barriers
  • Social barriers

A patient navigator can help you and your families understand the many challenges you may face and address the man y questions you may have related to your cancer diagnosis.

Your nurse navigator will:

  • Serve as the main point of contact for you and your family
  • Facilitate communication with your health care team
  • Facilitate access to timely scheduling of your health care appointments
  • Help you understand and answer questions about your cancer and what to expect during your appointments and treatment
  • Provide access to educational resources (i.e. websites, booklets) relevant to your cancer diagnosis
  • Provide assistance with financial concerns, travel and transportation or medication costs.
  • Connect you with other health care professionals who can also support you at any point in your care such as:
    • Social worker
    • Financial counselors
    • Dietitian
    • Spiritual care/chaplain