Partners In Practice Articles

Primary hyperparathyroidism is a common disorder in which one or more parathyroid glands are abnormally enlarged. Surgical removal of the enlarged glands is the definitive treatment. The traditional surgical approach of four-gland exploration has been largely replaced with minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP), which reduces the incidence of such associated complications as permanent hypocalcemia and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury.

The relatively new and growing field of interventional pulmonology is an area of pulmonary medicine that focuses on using minimally invasive endoscopic techniques to diagnose and treat lung, thoracic, tracheal and mediastinal conditions.

Upper endoscopy (EGD) with biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosing esophageal malignancy. Roswell Park’s Endoscopy Center brings together advanced GI endoscopists, specifically trained in performing cancer-related endoscopy, with expert GI pathologists to ensure that a correct diagnosis is made.

by Charles M. LeVea, MD, PhD

Esophageal cancer is best treated by a multidisciplinary team. The surgical pathologist contributes by making the pathological diagnosis and presenting the pathological findings at the multidisciplinary esophageal tumor board. This face-to-face communication is essential for ensuring clear communication among team members and identifying individualized treatment options for our patients.

There are predictive factors (both host and environmental) that correlate with increased risk of developing such inflammatory conditions as Barrett's esophagus with dysplasia, which may also predispose patients to esophageal cancer. In these patients, who may already be undergoing endoscopic evaluation, early superficial cancers can be identified, treated, and cured.

by Deepa Gosine, MD, Anuradha Seshadri, MD, and Usha Malhotra, MD

Esophageal cancer (EC) is the eighth-most-common cancer worldwide, with two common sub-types — squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (AC). Several risk factors have been associated with this cancer, including smoking, alcohol consumption, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Barrett’s esophagus. Many studies have implicated diet and nutrition in risk of these cancers.

by Renuka Iyer, MD

Sorafenib is the only approved drug for patients with advanced liver cancer. Unfortunately, it is not curative and is also associated with side effects that impact quality of life. At Roswell Park, we are investigating a novel anti-angiogenic agent called tivozanib that is similar to sorafenib but with greater potency and a more favorable toxicity profile.

by Boris Kuvshinoff II, MD, MBA

The two most common malignancies originating within the liver are hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). HCCs are one of the most common solid tumors seen worldwide, typically arising in the setting of hepatitis B and C. In the United States, 33,000 new cases of HCC and ICC were estimated for 2014.