Ask the Experts > Colorectal Cancer

OncoLink "Ask the Experts" About Colorectal Cancer

Welcome to the OncoLink "Ask the Experts" section. Here you can send a question to one of our panel of medical experts online. If your question is chosen, your answer will be posted on OncoLink in the hope that it will be useful to others as well.

Here you can ask the experts about Colorectal Cancer.

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Anil K. Rustgi, MD
Anil K. Rustgi, MD is an expert in the clinical and genetic aspects of colon cancer. His work is related to basic science research using different models to study the mechanisms underlying the development and progression of colon cancer. In addition, his work involves the discovery of new genes in colon cancer. Dr. Rustgi is also devoted to the clinical aspects of inherited colon cancer (FAP, HNPCC) and sporadic colon cancer. Ultimately, these efforts are towards improving the screening, diagnosis and therapy of colon cancer.

Bruce Giantonio, MD
Bruce Giantonio, MD is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Hematology-Oncology division at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also the Executive Officer for the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. His clinical expertise lies in the area of colon cancer treatment. His research interests include the use targeted therapies for gastrointestinal malignancies and new drug development.

Carolyn Vachani RN, MSN, AOCN
Carolyn Vachani, MSN, RN, AOCN is a certified advanced practice oncology nurse. She has worked in the areas of bone marrow transplant, medical oncology, and clinical research. In her role with OncoLink, she managed The National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance's Clinical Trials Resource Center. This, along with her nursing experience, has helped her develop a strong knowledge of colon cancer screening, prevention, and treatment.

James D. Lewis, MD, MSCE
James D. Lewis, MD, MSCE, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine, Senior Scholar at the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and Senior Fellow in the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Lewis specializes in care for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. His research program has focused largely on cancer prevention and the pharmacoepidemiology of gastrointestinal diseases.

Najjia N. Mahmoud, MD
Dr. Mahmoud is Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery. She is board certified in both general and colon and rectal surgery and has a strong interest in malignancies of the lower gastrointestinal tract. Her research interests include the investigation of the genetics of colorectal cancer, the impact of therapies for cancer on surgical outcomes, and the study of novel compounds for cancer prevention.

Peter J. O'Dwyer, MD
Peter J. O'Dwyer, MD is a Professor of Medicine in the Hematology-Oncology division at the University of Pennsylvania. He serves as the Program Leader of the Chemoprevention Program at the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania. His clinical expertise is in the area of GI cancer with special expertise in colon/pancreas cancer and new therapies in early clinical trials. His research interests lie in new therapy development for cancer and cancer pharmacologies.

Richard Whittington, MD
An Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Dr. Whittington's long standing interest is in the management of prostate tumors.

Timothy C. Hoops, MD
Timothy C. Hoops, MD is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Gastroenterology Division at the University of Pennsylvania and Director of Gastroenterology at Penn Medicine at Radnor. Dr. Hoops specializes in colorectal cancer and is the Director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Risk Evaluation Program with the University of Pennsylvania. His research interests include colon cancer screening and prevention.

Weijing Sun, MD
Weijing Sun, MD is Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, the Director of Upper GI and Pancreatic-biliary-hepatic Cancer Group and the Associate Director of the GI Cancer Program, is an expert in gastrointestinal cancers.