Upper Gastro-Intestinal
Where to find this service
Where to find this service
What we do
Upper Gastro-intestinal (Upper GI) cancers occur in the stomach and the upper section of the digestive system. These include: oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver, gall bladder and small intestine.
Western Health has a team of staff who work together to provide a coordinated service to our patients. These team members have different roles including; treating cancer using a range of methods, assisting patients and their families at all stages of their journey, and providing information.
The team includes:
- Upper GI Surgeons – to manage certain procedures such as biopsies and to remove tumours through surgery.
- Medical Oncologists – to treat cancer using medications and chemotherapy.
- Radiation Oncologists – to treat cancer using radiation.
- Palliative Care Physicians – to provide advice regarding severe symptom management, to work to achieve the best quality of life for the person with a life-limiting illness and to provide support for family and carers.
- Allied Health staff – to provide additional supports with activities of everyday living.
Clinics include Gastroenterology, Upper Gastrointestinal / Hepatobiliary (HPB) Surgery, Medical and Radiation Oncology. The service is also involved with clinical trials, allowing patients access to the latest research and treatments.
Tumour stream lead
A/Prof Lara Lipton and Prof Val Usatoff
Time of Clinic
Wednesday afternoon
Our clinicians:
Upper GI Surgeons:
- A/Prof Val Ustoff
- Mr Ramez Bassari
- Mr Hai Bui
- Mr Yahya Al-Habbal
- Mr Julian Choi
- Mr Nezor Houli
- Dr Frederick Huynh
- Mr Rodney Jacobs
Medical Oncologists:
- A/Prof Lara Lipton
- A/Prof Sumitra Ananda
- Dr Azim Jalali
Radiation Oncologists:
- Dr Phillip Tran
- Dr Daisy Mak
Palliative Care Physicians:
- Dr Maria Coperchini
- Dr Adrian Dabscheck
- Dr Ruwani Mendis
Allied Health:
A range of allied health professionals work as members of our team to provide additional support to patients. Click here for more information.
Referrals
Patients will need a referral from their GP or medical practitioner to attend a specialist clinic. Please bring;
- copies of any films or disks with images of any scans or tests, and
- any medications that you are currently on.
This will help our doctors see what tests you have already had and know how to help you best.
Referrers
Please click here for information about referring a patient with new or suspected upper gastro-intestinal cancer. Referrals should be addressed to either a named Medical Oncologist or Upper GI Surgeon from the list above. Cancers are considered urgent referrals.
Resources
Cancer Council Victoria has published “What to Expect Guides” which describe the optimal care that should be provided at each step of the cancer pathway.
Click below to see these for:
Refer to the Cancer Council Victoria website for more information about different types of cancer.
Return to Cancer Types page
Return to the Our Services page