International Conference on Gastrointestinal Cancer and Therapeutics October 16-18, 2017 Baltimore, USA

Colorectal cancer is a term for cancer that starts in either the colon or the rectum. Colon cancer and rectal cancer have many features in common. Colon cancer and cancer of the rectum can begin as a small polyp, detectable through regular cancer screening, such as colonoscopy. Colon cancer symptoms include a change in bowel habits or bleeding, but often there are no symptoms. With early detection, surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy can be effective treatment. Rectal cancer begins in the rectum. It’s also called colorectal cancer because it can occur above the rectum, in the colon or in the rectum. Some people are at higher risk because of a family history of certain genetic disorders such as Lynch syndrome. Colon cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the colon, an organ that is part of the large intestine and the body’s digestive system. Small intestine cancer, also known as small bowel cancer, begins in cells of the small intestine, the part of the digestive system located between the stomach and large intestine. It’s rare, affecting about 9,000 people a year in the United States.  

Pancreatic cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancerous) cells form in the tissues of the pancreas. The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach and in front of the spine. The pancreas produces digestive juices and hormones that regulate blood sugar. Cells called exocrine pancreas cells produce the digestive juices, while cells called endocrine pancreas cells produce the hormones. Pancreatic cancer begins when abnormal cells within the pancreas grow out of control and form a tumour. The majority of pancreatic cancers start in the exocrine cells. Your pancreas secretes enzymes that aid digestion and hormones that help regulate the metabolism of sugars. Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (pancreatic NETs or PNETs) account for less than 5% of all pancreatic tumours.  They may be benign or malignant and they tend to grow slower than exocrine tumours.  They develop from the abnormal growth of endocrine (hormone-producing) cells in the pancreas called islet cells.  This is why these tumours are sometimes referred to as “islet cell tumours”. Pancreatic cancer often has a poor prognosis, even when diagnosed early. Pancreatic cancer spreads rapidly and is seldom detected in its early stages, which is a major reason why it's a leading cause of cancer death. Signs and symptoms may not appear until pancreatic cancer is quite advanced and complete surgical removal isn't possible. 

Esophageal cancer is cancer that occurs in the esophagus, a long hollow muscular tube which runs from your throat to your stomach that moves food and liquids from the throat to the stomach. Cancer starts at the inner layer of the esophagus and can spread throughout the other layers of the esophagus and to other parts of the body (metastasis). The most common types of esophageal cancer are squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma begins in flat cells lining the esophagus. Adenocarcinoma begins in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids. Esophageal cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage because there are no early signs or symptoms.

Some of the drugs in the pipeline for colorectal cancer therapeutics are Lonsurf, CYRAMZA (ramucirumab), TS-1/Teysuno, CPP-1X (eflornithine hydrochloride), MelCancerVac, Xilonix, and Nintedanib. There are various medications such as chemotherapy drugs, immunotherapy, and leucovorin (chemoprotectant) that can be used to treat colorectal cancer. Chemotherapy drugs for the treatment of colorectal cancer include anti-metabolites such as fluorouracil and capecitabine. Monoclonal antibodies used in immunotherapy as part of the treatment of colorectal cancer are bevacizumab, cetuximab, and panitumumab. Bevacizumab (Avastin®), ramucirumab (Cyramza®), and ziv-aflibercept (Zaltrap®) are drugs used for colon cancer that target vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF is a protein that helps tumors form new blood vessels to get nutrients (a process known as angiogenesis).

Signs and symptoms of gastrointestinal cancer includes nausea, vomiting, frequent heartburn, loss of appetite (sometimes accompanied by sudden weight loss), early satiety (feeling full after eating only a small amount), bloody stools, jaundice (a yellowish discoloration in the eyes and skin),excessive fatigue,Weight loss not associated with changes in diet, enlarged liver, stomach pain (which may be worse after meals)

Treatment options and recommendations depend on several factors, including the type and stage of cancer, possible side effects, and the patient’s preferences and overall health issues. The most common treatment in different types of gastrointestinal cancers is surgery and radiation therapy. The treatment for esophageal cancer is particularly Tis and T1aN0 by endoscopic ultrasonography may be considered for endoscopic therapy,

New therapeutic strategies with the established treatment regimens are most important and very much needed in gastrointestinal cancer it represents a novel approach to the management of different types of gastrointestinal cancer, so the pathological development of vascular supply is a major step for tumor growth and may affect its prognosis.

Pathogenesis of Colorectal Cancer: Sporadic (Nonhereditary) Colorectal Cancer is detected through screening procedures or when the patient presents with symptoms. Screening is important for prevention and should be a part of routine care for adults over the age of 50 who are at low-risk. High-risk individuals (those who are with previous colon cancer, those who have family history of colon cancer, and those who have inflammatory bowel disease or history of colorectal polyps) require careful follow-up. Major advances have been made in our understanding of molecular events leading to the formation of adenomatous polyps and cancer most of the colorectal cancers are sporadic.

A cancer biomarker can be a process substance that indicates the presence of cancer in the body. It may be a molecule secreted by tumor cells or a particular response of the body because of the presence of cancer. Biomarkers may genetic, epigenetic, proteomic, glycomic, or imaging. They can be used for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, medicine, epidemiology of cancer. Those biomarkers that are particularly associated with mutations offer a quantitative way to determine when individuals are predisposed to particular types of cancers.

GI surgery includes comprehensive surgical methods used for the treatment of cancers and benign conditions of the esophagus, liver, colorectal, bile ducts, pancreas, stomach and gallbladder. Most of the surgical techniques are performed laparoscopically with the least invasive techniques reducing the post treatment risks.

A Gastro-intestinal oncologist is an physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of the people with cancer of the gastro-intestinal organs.Specifically, the gastro-intestinal oncologist treats cancer of the colon, pancreas, rectum, small intestine, gall blader, and other gastric cancers . If chemotherapy is indicated, the same gastro-intestinal oncologist  is capable of administering treatment. 

Immunotherapy is treatment that uses certain parts of a person’s immune system to fight diseases such as cancer. This can be done in a couple of ways: Own immune system stimulation, Biological therapy or biotherapy. Additional research is currently under way to: understand why immunotherapy is effective in some patients but not in other’s who have the same cancer, expand the use of immunotherapy to more types of cancer, increase the effectiveness of immunotherapy by combining it with other types of cancer treatment, such as targeted therapy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

Different gastrointestinal cancers have different risk factors. Some risk factors, like smoking, can be changed. Others, like a person’s age or family history, can’t be changed. Having a risk factor, or even several risk factors, does not mean that you will get the cancer. And many people who get the disease may have few or no known risk factors. Few gastrointestinal cancer risk factors include cigarette smoking, obesity, chronic pancreatitis, eating foods preserved through pickling or that contain nitrates, infection with Helicobacter pylori, alcohol abuse, inflammatory bowel disease, adenomatous polyps

While no cancer is completely preventable, the number of new cases of cancer in a group or population is lowered. Hopefully, this will lower the number of deaths caused by cancer. It is estimated that changes in diet and physical activities could reduce the incidence of gastrointestinal Cancer by up to 75%. 

Gastrointestinal tract imaging uses a form of real-time x-ray called fluoroscopy and a barium-based contrast material to produce images of the esophagus, stomach, small and large intestine and other parts of digestive system.  It is safe, noninvasive and is used to help diagnose pain, acid reflux, blood in the stool and other symptoms.

With the current challenges in the healthcare system, patients and professionals are uncertain about the role, responsibilities, and communication patterns of primary care professionals during cancer care. Oncology and primary care nurses should be surveyed to attain current and preferred roles in cancer care across the care continuum. Who coordinates the care, which makes the referrals, who manages the comorbidities? What is the optimal interface between oncology and primary care nurses in care delivery? How does the environment of care support or impede bidirectional communication among providers and with the patient? We need to test interventions to determine what model produces the best patient-centered outcomes, the best coordinated care. We need to document that coordinated care improves outcomes

Gastrointestinal Cancers case reports play a crucial role in moving new treatments to patients who need most, securing data so regulatory approvals can be obtained and new drugs can move into widespread clinical practice. Oncology Esthetics is the practice of safe and beneficial spa services by individuals trained to understand how colorectal cancer and associated medical treatments affect the body. Gastrointestinal Oncology Nutrition includes the current therapies used to treat the cancer and nutrition related side effects. Patients who participate in clinical trials provide an invaluable service both to treatment science and fellow patients. If a patient with colorectal carcinoma develops metastatic disease of musculoskeletal oncology, the bone lesion may become dense and hard. There are currently more than several Phase III drug trials and more than 90 Phase I/II trials in process for colorectal cancer sin USA and Germany.

Cancer of pharma industry reached $100 billion in annual sales, and could reach $147 billion till 2018 cancer of pharma industry is probably the most prosperous business in the United States. New cancer cases diagnosed and death by cancer reaches 585,720 in the US. $6 billion of tax-payer funds are cycled through various federal agencies for cancer research, with a projected 39 percent increase to $173 billion by 2020. Pharma industry for cancer is growing very aggressively with many opportunities.

A key ingredient in successful entrepreneurship is self-knowledge. Gastrointestinal Cancer 2016 aims to bring together all existing and budding bio entrepreneurs to share experiences and present new innovations and challenges in Oncological community. Each year, over a million companies are started in the world with about 5–10 of them classified as high technology companies. Turning ideas into business ventures is tricky and the opportunity-recognition step is critical in new venture creation. Although life scientists are typically the founders of biotech companies, studies have shown that the most successful high tech start-ups are founded by a team of two to three individuals with mixed backgrounds, substantial industry experience and a very clear market and product focus at founding. This two day community-wide conference will be a highly interactive forum that will bring experts in areas ranging from oncology to signaling pathways to novel therapeutic approaches to the scientific hub. In addition to our outstanding speakers, we will also showcase short talks and poster presentations from submitted abstracts. The speakers will discuss about all the various topics of Gastrointestinal Cancers. Moreover, oncologists often develop an interest and expertise in the management of particular types of gastrointestinal cancer.