GI Cancer Prevention Program
Leaders in GI Cancer Prevention
At Stanford Health Care, we combine leading-edge gastrointestinal (GI) cancer screening with compassionate, preventive care. Whether you need routine screening for colon cancer, genetic testing because of a strong family history of cancer, or specialized surveillance because of high risk for cancer, we provide you with advanced care under the highest quality standards, including colonoscopy quality metrics that far exceed national benchmarks.
What We Offer You for GI Cancer Prevention Care
- Specialized expertise in detecting and treating precancerous conditions, including removing polyps at routine colonoscopy to prevent colon cancer, as well as advanced endoscopic techniques such as removing complex polyps or performing ablation in Barrett's esophagus. Go to Conditions Treated
- Advanced diagnostic and treatment options ranging from risk assessment, genetic testing and routine endoscopic screening to specialized endoscopic therapies that are available in only select centers worldwide. Go to Treatments
- Team-based approach with highly trained specialists, including gastroenterologists, genetics professionals, and cancer doctors with extensive experience in risk assessment, screening, and treatment of GI cancers. Go to Your Care Team
- Clinical trials that offer access to the latest diagnostic tools and treatments for GI conditions and cancers, with experts at the forefront of pioneering research. Go to Clinical Trials
- Comprehensive support services to help you and your family focus on health and healing. Go to Support Services
- Ease of access with convenient locations around the Bay Area, acceptance of self-referrals, and the ability to see multiple specialists in a single visit. Go to Accessing Care
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers can develop along your digestive tract and related organs, including your liver and pancreas. Our doctors have extensive experience in screening, diagnosing, and treating the full range of GI cancers.
One measure of our exceptional care in colon cancer prevention is our adenoma detection rate (ADR), which is how often a doctor finds precancerous polyps during a routine colonoscopy. While the national ADR benchmark is to find adenomas in at least 25% of patients, our ADR is 44%. Our team’s Colonoscopy Quality Assurance Program helps reduce your risk of developing colon cancer.
We work closely with other specialists in Interventional Radiology and the GI Cancer Program to provide seamless care if you need additional treatment. We are committed to providing you with innovative, comprehensive care.
While the national adenoma detection rate (ADR) benchmark is to find adenomas in at least 25% of patients, our ADR is 44%.
- Barrett's Esophagus
- Chronic Pancreatitis
- Colon Polyps
- Colon Cancer
- Cowden Syndrome
- Esophageal Cancer
- Gastric Dysplasia: precancerous changes in the lining of your stomach
- Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia: changes in the lining of your stomach that may turn into gastric dysplasia
- Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP)
- Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer (HDGC)
- Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS)
- Liver Cancer
- Lynch Syndrome or Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC)
- MYH-associated Polyposis (MAP): a hereditary condition that causes dozens, sometimes hundreds, of polyps to form in the colon
- Pancreatic Cysts
- Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome (PJS)
- Squamous Cell Skin Cancer
Our GI Cancer Prevention Program offers advanced risk assessment and GI cancer screening options. We use the latest techniques for routine to complex screening and removal of precancerous growths.
Our goals for risk assessment are to determine your level of risk for cancer, which may include genetic testing, and recommend ways to help reduce the risk. With GI cancer screening, our goals are to detect and remove precancerous growths and identify cancers at their earliest, most treatable stages. Dispelling Myths About Colorectal Cancer (PDF)
Some of our specialized services apply only to certain patients. But all persons age 45 or older need to think about colon cancer screening as part of their routine health care.
The most effective way to reduce your risk of colon cancer is with screening, which can include a screening colonoscopy, or a colonoscopy to follow-up on an abnormal stool-based screening test, such as a fecal immunochemical test (FIT). Our team’s Colonoscopy Quality Assurance Program ensures that you will undergo a high-quality procedure that maximizes the chance that we can prevent cancer.
Our results exceed national benchmarks for all key colonoscopy quality measures:
- Adequate preparation rate: We help you achieve a clean colon by guiding you through your bowel prep, so we can see well and find abnormalities. While the national benchmark is 85%, our adequate preparation rate at Stanford Health Care is 94%.
- Cecal intubation rate: A complete exam requires advancing the scope all the way around to the cecum. While the national benchmark for a complete examination is 90% for all colonoscopies, our rate is 96%.
- Average withdrawal time: Finding polyps and small cancers requires taking the time to inspect the colon fully and carefully. While the national benchmark for time spent withdrawing the scope is 6 to 8 minutes minimum, our average withdrawal time is 15 minutes at Stanford Health Care.
- Adenoma detection rate (ADR): The other quality metrics all lead up to the most important one—when we do screening colonoscopies, how often we find and remove polyps (adenomas) that could become cancer. While the national ADR benchmark is to find adenomas in at least 25% of patients, our ADR is 44%.
Our facilities have been designed with you and your family in mind in order to provide you with the most comfortable experience. Beyond knowing that you will receive the highest quality care in our leading-edge endoscopy suites with the most advanced equipment, we will take care of you from start to finish with attention to your comfort.
Learn more about Resuming Care with Stanford Health Care »
Our Colonoscopy Quality Assurance Program maximizes the chance that we can prevent cancer.
GI Tests
Colonoscopy is one of the most common tests we use to help prevent colon and rectal cancer. During colonoscopy, we access your colon with the help of an endoscope (narrow, flexible tube and tiny camera inserted into your rectum). We offer routine and advanced colonoscopy procedures that adhere to the highest standards for quality. Guidelines now recommend colon cancer screening starting at age 45.
With an endoscope, we carefully examine the lining of your esophagus, stomach, and upper small intestine for ulcers, inflammation, infection, precancerous changes and cancer. During your upper endoscopy, we may also take a tissue sample (biopsy) and examine it under a microscope.
Using a special imaging endoscope, we examine deep layers of tissue in your digestive tract. These organs include the colon, rectum, esophagus, stomach, or pancreas (submucosa, muscle, and other layers). Learn more about endoscopic ultrasound.
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
This endoscopic test uses X-rays to examine the tubes (ducts) that connect your liver to your gallbladder and small intestine, and your pancreas to your small intestine. Read about ERCP.
Double-balloon enteroscopy
Accessing your small intestine with the help of a special endoscope, we use small balloons to apply gentle suction to grab and move sections of your intestines to examine hard-to-reach areas of your bowels.
Chromoendoscopy
During colonoscopy or endoscopy, we use a special dye to examine the fine details of your colon or stomach.
This procedure is similar to a colonoscopy, but it examines only the lower part of your colon and rectum when this shorter exam is enough. Learn about sigmoidoscopy.
Video capsule endoscopy
This procedure involves swallowing a pill with a tiny camera that takes a picture of your small intestine. Video capsule endoscopy helps our team examine areas of your intestine that can otherwise be difficult to reach.
Guidelines now recommend colon cancer screening starting at age 45.
Advanced Treatments
During this minimally invasive procedure, we remove precancerous or other abnormal tissue. Endoscopic mucosal resection can treat colon polyps or areas of diseased tissue (dysplasia) due to Barrett’s esophagus.
Endoscopic submucosal dissection
This procedure allows endoscopic removal of complex precancerous growths and selected early cancers, sparing the need for invasive surgery.
During this procedure, we remove areas of precancerous cells by applying a beam of controlled heat. Learn more about radiofrequency ablation.
Clinical Trials
We offer a robust clinical trials program. These research studies evaluate new medical approaches, devices, drugs, and other treatments.
As a Stanford Health Care patient, you may be eligible to participate in open clinical trials.
Open trials refer to studies currently recruiting participants or that may recruit participants in the near future. Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but similar studies may open in the future.
Each person’s risk profile is unique, which is why we guide you through highly personalized care. All of the gastroenterologists in the GI Cancer Prevention Program focus on patients with high risks for cancer. Our doctors, nurses, technicians, and staff are here to support you throughout your treatment with care plans tailored to fit your individual needs.
Your Doctors
Gastroenterologist
Gastroenterologists specialize in diagnosing and managing conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Our gastroenterologists have extensive training and experience managing a broad range of GI conditions, and many have sub-specialty expertise in complex disorders.
View All {0} Gastroenterologists »High Risk Cancer Specialist
Medical oncologists have specialized training in diagnosing and treating cancer. Medical oncologists, gastroenterologists, and genetic counselors work together to take care of our patients and families with inherited risks for cancer.
View All 2 High Risk Cancer Specialists »Stanford is an Academic Medical Center, which is a type of hospital setting where doctors teach medical students as they progress through medical school and training. Stanford Medicine is a partnership between Stanford University School of Medicine and Stanford Health Care. Because Stanford is a teaching hospital, you can expect to meet many providers and providers in training.
- Attending Physician: A fully licensed and practicing doctor who supervises doctors in training or medical school.
- Fellow: This doctor is doing postgraduate level work and specializes in the care of patients with specific conditions.
- Resident: This doctor has graduated from medical school and is in training (also called residency) at Stanford. A resident is also called an intern.
Support Services
Our doctors work closely with a wide variety of other Stanford Health Care providers to relieve your symptoms and help you live a full, active life. We listen to your concerns and take a comprehensive approach that covers all your care—including your medical, emotional, and lifestyle needs.
The GI Cancer Prevention Program offers you ease of access to all of Stanford's digestive health services—from screening and diagnostic evaluation to treatment and follow-up. We make every effort to coordinate your appointments, so that you can see multiple providers during a single visit, if needed. You can receive care at multiple locations throughout the Bay Area.
For Referring Physicians
PHYSICIAN HELPLINE
Fax: 650-320-9443
Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Stanford Health Care provides comprehensive services to refer and track patients, as well as the latest information and news for physicians and office staff. For help with all referral needs and questions, visit Referral Information.
You may also submit a web referral or complete a referral form and fax it to 650-320-9443 or email the Referral Center at ReferralCenter@stanfordhealthcare.org.
To schedule an appointment, please call:
Emeryville: 510-901-3552
Palo Alto: 650-736-5555
Pleasanton: 925-416-6767
Redwood City: 650-736-5555
South Bay: 650-736-5555