A multidisciplinary approach to gastrointestinal bleeding in cancer patients

Abstract

Gastrointestinal bleeding remains one of the most challenging areas in medicine today, especially in the patient with cancer. New techniques and technology have added much to the diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal bleeding. Although gastroenterologists remain at the center of the evaluation of these patients, the incorporation of new techniques has meant that interventional radiologists and nuclear medicine specialists often have important roles in assessing and treating these patients as well. Because patients with cancer are members of a unique group, gastrointestinal bleeding may also require intervention by surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists. This review will address the multidisciplinary approach required for the proper diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with cancer.