Q&A
ASK THE DOCTOR
A LIFESAVING SCREENING CLOSE TO HOME
MIRAL GRANDHI, MD, FACS
A SURGICAL ONCOLOGIST EXPLAINS THE LATEST IN GASTROINTESTINAL CARE.
I
f you need colorectal cancer screening or treatment, you don’t have to travel far. These services are available at the Steeplechase Cancer Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Somerset. Miral Grandhi, MD, FACS, a surgical oncologist and Assistant Professor of Surgery in the section of Gastrointestinal Surgical Oncology at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, explains the center’s services and surgical options for cancer treatment.
What services do you offer at Steeplechase Cancer Center? In addition to colorectal cancer screening, we treat a variety of gastrointestinal cancers, such as those of the colon, stomach, pancreas, liver, bile ducts and gallbladder. We also treat benign liver lesions and pancreatic cysts.
When should you be screened for colorectal cancer?
What are the signs of colorectal cancer?
The American Cancer Society recommends that people at average risk of developing colorectal cancer begin screening at age 45. Those who have a strong family history of colorectal cancer, personal history of colorectal cancer or abnormal growths called polyps, inflammatory bowel disease or other conditions that increase risk might need to start screening earlier in life and be screened more often. The most comprehensive test is a colonoscopy, in which a long, flexible tube with a tiny video camera at the tip is inserted into the colon and rectum to check for abnormalities. It enables the physician to check your entire colon for polyps and cancer. If the test is normal, you can often wait another 10 years before screening. If polyps are found, you’ll need to be screened more frequently.
Symptoms include blood in the stool, unexplained weight loss, abdominal discomfort, persistent diarrhea or constipation, and weakness or fatigue. Report any of these warning signs to your doctor.
What are some advances in surgery for colorectal cancer? If a patient is an appropriate candidate, he or she may be offered robotic surgery. Benefits include smaller incisions, which minimize pain and the need for pain medication. Minimizing narcotic medications leads to a quicker return of bowel function. Patients may be able to go home from the hospital more quickly (one or two days sooner than if they’d had an open procedure).
RWJBarnabas Health and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset, in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey—the state’s only NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center—provide close-to-home access to the most advanced treatment options. Call 844.CANCERNJ or visit www.rwjbh.org/beatcancer.
Healthy Together
| 8 |
Winter 2021
RWJUHS_ColorectalSurgeon_Winter21_Final.indd 8
12/10/20 9:38 AM
