Gastrointestinal Cancer Program

Currently, there is an unmet need for therapy options for patients whose cancer has spread to the peritoneum, referred to as Peritoneal surface malignancies (PSM). The abdominal wall has a plasma barrier and fewer blood vessels, which can significantly limit the penetration and effectiveness of IV chemotherapy for PSM and malignant ascites. It is estimated that one-third of patients with gastric cancer and more than 60% of ovarian cancer patients have peritoneal metastases at some point.

To address this complex need, City of Hope Cancer Center Atlanta remains at the forefront of advanced PSM treatments, offering innovative therapies like hyperthermic (or heated) intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) and pressurized intraperitoneal aerosolized chemotherapy (PIPAC) in conjunction with cytoreductive surgery (CRS). Supported by robust clinical research, these therapies exemplify City of Hope’s commitment to pioneering cancer care.

At City of Hope Atlanta, our physicians and clinical staff have decades of experience diagnosing and treating gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer and bile duct cancer. We also offer treatment for advanced-stage and recurrent GI cancers.

We offer a comprehensive range of services, including:

• State-of-the-art robotic and open surgery
• Minimally invasive surgery for many types of GI cancers
• Colorectal cancer screening and detection using the latest diagnostic tools
• Therapeutic endoscopic ultrasound to relieve pain, deliver intratumoral chemotherapy or radiation therapy or drain pancreatic pseudocysts
• Genomic and genetic testing
• Chemotherapy
• Drug therapies such as immunotherapy and targeted therapies
• Therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals for imaging and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy
• Targeted radiation therapy with the use of fiducial markers
• Clinical expertise in non-cancerous conditions such as Barrett’s esophagus and gastrointestinal reflux disease
• Access to clinical trials and studies
• Survivorship programs
• Supportive care, including dietary support, behavioral health services and occupational and physical therapy

Treatment offerings may vary by location.

The GI cancers and conditions we treat are wide and varied. They include those listed below.

Main cancer types

• Esophageal cancer
• Stomach (gastric) cancer
• Cancer of the small intestine (including the duodenum, jejunum and ileum)
• Appendiceal cancer
• Colon cancer
• Rectum and anal canal cancer

Associated hepatopancreatobiliary and peritoneal GI cancers

• Liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma)
• Extrahepatic bile duct cancer (perihilar and distal cholangiocarcinoma)
• Gallbladder cancer
• Pancreatic cancer (exocrine, such as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma)
• Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (islet cell)

GI mesenchymal, neuroendocrine and rare malignancies

• Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST)
• Gastrointestinal neuroendocrine (carcinoid) tumors of stomach, small bowel, colon, rectal and appendiceal cancers
• Primary peritoneal malignancies and pseudomyxoma peritonei cancer
• Primary GI lymphomas and sarcomas arising from the GI tract wall

Non-malignant GI conditions

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Barrett’s esophagus

When you refer a patient to City of Hope Cancer Center Atlanta for GI cancer care, our colorectal and gastrointestinal cancers team works together to ensure your patient receives the clinical care needed as quickly and seamlessly as possible. Our physician team includes surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, interventional and diagnostic radiologists, and gastroenterologists with expertise in all types and stages of GI cancers. Below are some of the key members of our GI cancer team.

City of Hope has a longstanding history as a leader in developing and delivering innovative cancer treatments for most types and stages of gastrointestinal cancers. Our research has also led to a number of groundbreaking therapies that have since become standard of care for multiple cancer types. Some of our distinctions include:

• Nationally recognized leader in gastrointestinal cancer care, founded on more than a century of expertise in providing leading-edge treatment for a wide range of life-threatening diseases
• A national network of comprehensive cancer centers and outpatient locations, offering the ability to deliver groundbreaking, often-lifesaving care for patients through collaboration between physicians and experts across the country
• Clinical expertise in a range of rare cancer types like neuroendocrine tumors and precancerous conditions such as Barrett's esophagus
• Surgical oncology expertise, with physicians who have performed more than 11,000 robotic procedures that offer surgical precision, reduced postoperative pain and more rapid recovery
• Clinicians with experience finding curative and palliative treatment options for patients with Stage 3 and Stage 4 GI cancers and in using ablative treatments to remove GI tract obstructions and to relieve pain or breathing problems
• Clinical and research expertise in the use of targeted therapies and advanced radiation therapies
• The use of non-surgical techniques such as endoscopic mucosal resection in treating early-stage esophageal cancer or non-cancerous polyps
• Options such as endoscopic ultrasound with fine-needle biopsy and radiofrequency ablation for esophageal, pancreatic, bile duct and colorectal cancers
• Accelerated access to new therapies, thanks to a bench-to-bedside approach powered by three state-of-the-art, good manufacturing practice- (GMP-)certified facilities
• A robust clinical trials program focused on developing new treatment options for GI cancers, including immunotherapy options for pancreatic cancer

City of Hope Atlanta’s gastrointestinal cancers program is home to a multidisciplinary team of gastroenterologists and GI cancer experts who work together to provide evidence-based care that combines research discoveries with leading-edge treatment options. Since gastrointestinal cancers and conditions are often treated using multiple modalities, our physicians, clinicians and support staff collaborate on every case to optimize clinical outcomes. Our program is also:

• Certified by the American Society of Clinical Oncology Quality Oncology Practice Initiative Certification Program, which is awarded to hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to quality along nationally approved standards
• Accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Program, reflecting our commitment to rigorous quality standards and multidisciplinary cancer care
• Accredited by the College of American Pathologists, including recognition for biorepository services for tissue collection, preparation, sampling and processing at our laboratory, making it one of fewer than 100 such sites in the United States
• Given the 5-star rating for patient experience from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (2025)
• Named an Accreditation Program for Excellence^® (APEx) by American Society of Radiation Oncolory (ASTRO) for providing high-quality and safe radiation care to patients
• Accredited by the American College of Radiology, which evaluates radiation programs on its clinical operations, treatment delivery, patient outcomes and quality assurance