Gastrointestinal Cancer

Gastrointestinal cancer refers to malignant conditions of the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) and accessory organs of digestion, including the esophagus, stomach, biliary system, pancreas, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus. Colon cancer is the second most common cancer in Israel. It appears in a similar proportion in men and women. When the disease is detected at an early stage, the chances of healing reach about 90%. Therefore, early detection is a crucial factorfor recovery from colorectal cancer.

The main challenge in early detection is the lack of symptoms in its early stage and when symptoms appear it is more difficult to treat and cure. Several different scientific teams at TAU search for biomarkers that can be measured before the onset of the disease or at its earliest stages.  Affiliation of  three large medical centers (Tel-Aviv Sourasky, Rabin and Sheba) with Tel-Aviv University, offers access to the most comprehensive clinical database of GI cancers.  This valuable information is the basis for some of the most advanced studies in early detection and therapy of GI cancers.