Topic
Gastrointestinal Oncology (GI Oncology)
Podcasts
Tumor Board # 89Nov 2, 2026Perioperative Management of Pancreatic Cancer
Most patients with localized pancreatic cancer already have disease the scans cannot see, which is why these GI oncologists treat chemotherapy before surgery as a test of tumor biology. On this episode of the BackTable GI Oncology Creator Weekend™, medical oncologist Dr. Andrew Hendifar leads a tumor board with GI medical oncologists Dr. Arsen Osipov and Dr. Daniel Ahn on the perioperative management of pancreatic cancer. They explain why nearly every patient with localized disease now starts with chemotherapy rather than surgery, which red flags such as an elevated CA 19-9, enlarged lymph nodes, or profound weight loss point to hidden micrometastatic disease, and why an 80-year-old can still be a candidate for FOLFIRINOX when biological age outweighs chronological age.
- Tumor Board # 87Oct 27, 2026
Diagnosis & Management of Advanced HER2-Negative Upper GI Cancers
Five years ago, first-line treatment for advanced HER2-negative gastroesophageal cancer meant chemotherapy; today claudin 18.2, PD-L1, and mismatch repair status shape the plan, often for a patient who cannot afford to wait for the results. On this episode of the BackTable GI Oncology Creator Weekend™, host Dr. Kate Baker interviews medical oncologists Dr. Ronan Hsieh and Dr. Dani Castillo about the diagnosis and management of advanced HER2-negative upper GI cancers. They discuss the biomarker workup at diagnosis, next-generation sequencing and liquid biopsy, when to biopsy metastatic sites, and why both guests start chemotherapy before every result is available.
- Tumor Board # 86Oct 20, 2026
Optimizing Treatment for Advanced HER2-Positive Upper GI Cancers
When a gastroesophageal tumor is positive for HER2, PD-L1, and claudin 18.2, which target should you treat first and how do you decide? On this episode of the BackTable GI Oncology Creator Weekend™, host Dr. Kate Baker interviews Dr. Geoffrey Buckle, a GI medical oncologist at UCSF, and Dr. Ronan Hsieh, a GI oncologist at Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle, for a breakdown of therapy selection and management in advanced HER2-positive upper GI cancers. They start with a detailed case, covering biomarker workup, how to choose a first-line regimen without head-to-head data, and how to manage nutrition and palliative radiation when a patient presents with dysphagia and weight loss.
- Tumor Board # 85Oct 13, 2026
Perioperative Management in Upper GI Cancers
How do you choose between perioperative chemotherapy and trimodality therapy for a patient with localized upper GI cancer, and what has the newest data actually settled? On this episode of BackTable Tumor Board, host Dr. Kate Baker interviews Dr. Dani Castillo, a medical oncologist at City of Hope in Duarte, California, and Dr. Alexandra Gangi, a gastrointestinal surgical oncologist at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, about everything that happens between a new diagnosis and a resection in localized esophageal, gastroesophageal junction and gastric cancer. They cover diagnostic workup, Siewert classification, staging laparoscopy, histology, biomarker testing, surgical candidacy, and the challenges of nutrition and prehabilitation.
- Tumor Board # 84Oct 6, 2026
Managing Refractory MSS-MCRC: Advanced Treatment Strategies
What options remain when a patient with microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer (MSS mCRC) has progressed through every standard line of chemotherapy? On this episode of BackTable Tumor Board, Dr. Jun Gong is joined by Dr. Ibrahim Sahin and Dr. Sandra Algaze to explore the nuances of late-line management in MSS-mCRC. They discuss how to approach oxaliplatin retreatment and anti-EGFR rechallenge, the growing role of liquid biopsy and biomarker-driven selection, and the practicalities of DPYD testing after recent guideline changes.
- Tumor Board # 83Sep 29, 2026
Molecular-Driven Therapies in Colorectal Cancer
Which molecular alterations in colorectal cancer now change treatment and how quickly do you need the results to make the right call? On this episode of BackTable Tumor Board, Dr. Jun Gong interviews Dr. Ibrahim Sahin and Dr. Sandra Algaze about the latest advances in molecular-driven therapy across adjuvant and metastatic settings. They cover aspirin in PI3K-altered disease, the shift toward early next-generation sequencing, and the operational realities of systematic profiling at diagnosis.
- Tumor Board # 68Jun 23, 2026
Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer: Treatment Options & Trials
Can the latest therapies, lessons from clinical trials, and a focus on emotional support improve outcomes for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer? In this BackTable Tumor Board episode, GI medical oncologist Dr. Greg Botta and medical oncologist Dr. Dawood Findakly discuss current treatment options, the importance of emotional support, and strategies for overcoming barriers such as insurance delays. They highlight the value of personalized care, from diagnosis and staging scans to tumor markers, tissue biopsy, and genomic profiling, as well as the expanding role of clinical trials and targeted therapies.