Dr. Mark Fraiman | Colorectal Cancer

Though cancers of the liver and pancreas are not the most common, they are among the deadliest. Most of the time, patients are asymptomatic until the cancer is in a late stage, when it has spread to include a large part of the organ or has metastasized to other parts of the body.

Because of the challenges of early diagnosis of hepatobiliary disease, specialized and expert treatment become essential for patients who have been diagnosed. The Cancer Institute is one of the few facilities in the region with the expertise to perform the complex Whipple surgery, a procedure that removes the head and neck of the pancreas.

Colorectal Cancer Metastatic to the Liver

The Hodes Comprehensive Liver and Pancreas Center at St. Joseph has a highly experienced team of gastroenterologists and radiologists who perform the blood tests, diagnostic imaging and biopsies needed to diagnose liver and pancreatic cancer. Our skilled doctors can make all the difference in making an early diagnosis and starting an effective treatment plan.

Colon cancer frequently spreads to the liver. Autopsy studies have found that quite frequently the liver is the only site of metastatic disease.

The treatment of patients with colon cancer that has spread to the liver involves resecting the tumors from the liver in combination with chemotherapy.

Because patient survival is significantly extended by this approach, Liver surgeons are very aggressive when dealing with this condition. Up to 75% of a patient’s liver can be removed. Many times resections are staged over two separate surgeries to allow for optimal tumor clearance. The remarkable ability of the liver to regenerate allows surgeons to take this aggressive approach.

We utilize the latest surgical techniques to remove these tumors from the liver. Many cases are performed using laparoscopic techniques.

Learn More About Pancreatic Cancer »

Learn More About the whipple procedure »