Diagnosing cancer without surgery

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A fairly new medical procedure is giving doctors a more accurate way to diagnose certain cancers without surgery.  Doctor Daniel Cornett is a gastroenterologist with the Spectrum Health Medical Group and he tells us about a procedure called Endoscopic Ultrasound.   It's is a technique that obtains images and information about the digestive tract and the surrounding tissue and organs. A miniature ultrasound probe is built into the endoscope that is passed into the gastrointestinal tract. This allows for examination of structures within and adjacent to the esophagus, stomach, rectum and colon. The entire procedure generally requires less than an hour, and the patient can usually go home the same day. Technological advancements are creating more opportunities for outpatient procedures that increase accuracy and convenience.

Endoscopic ultrasound is effectively used to:
·         Evaluate chronic pancreatitis and other disorders of the pancreas
·         Stage cancer
·         Perform endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration
·         Stage and treat superficial tumors or tissues containing a growth within the gastrointestinal tract
·         Study abnormalities and tumors in organs, including the pancreas, gallbladder and bile ducts

Dr. Cornett is a part of Spectrum Health Medical Group's digestive disease team and collaborates with primary care physicians, as well as with specialists in oncology, gastroenterology, and general, hepatobiliary and cardiothoracic surgery.  As the largest digestive disease program in West Michigan and the region's largest provider of cancer care, Spectrum Health provides interventional endoscopy services that offer patients convenience and continuity with the expertise of Spectrum Health's digestive disease and cancer services.

Living Well:
Diagnosing cancer without surgery
Daniel Cornett, MD, gastroenterologist
Spectrum Health Medical Group
4100 Lake Drive SE, Suite 205
Grand Rapids
616.267.7414
www.shmg.org