Cancers of the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts and other digestive organs are difficult diseases that require complex treatment and care plans. The Liver, Pancreas and Bile Duct Cancer Program at Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin includes a full team of expert physicians who concentrate on these challenging cancers. Together, they offer every effective treatment option.

To make an appointment or for more information, call 866-680-0505 or use our online form.

Interdisciplinary Care Is the Best Medicine

Because cancer is a complicated disease, the most effective cancer care requires a team effort of several different clinical experts — an approach called “interdisciplinary.” The team includes:

Surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, interventional radiologists and diagnostic radiologists with extensive experience treating liver, pancreas, gall bladder and bile duct malignancies.
Hepatologists and gastroenterologists with advanced understanding of liver and digestive tract diseases.
Nurse practitioners, clinical nurses and physician assistants who specialize in caring for patients with these cancers.
Trained specialists who meet the quality-of-life needs of patients and their families.
Program coordinators who help streamline the care experience for patients and make sure they get all the services they need.
Learn more about our exceptional staff.

The physicians in the Liver, Pancreas and Bile Duct Cancer Program work cooperatively to create a comprehensive care plan for every patient. They meet regularly to discuss each patient, thoroughly evaluate treatment options, recommend care plans and follow up on patient progress. Cooperative care ensures that every patient has an optimal treatment plan and receives every appropriate therapy.

The Hub Model

The Clinical Cancer Center's hub model builds the entire care experience around patients. Dedicated program coordinators answer questions, address concerns, coordinate treatment and help you along in your journey.

A wide range of cancers are treated in the Liver, Pancreas and Bile Duct Cancer Program:

Liver cancer includes primary cancers (tumors that originate in the liver) or, more commonly, metastatic disease (cancers that spread to the liver from another part of the body)
Pancreatic tumors may be solid or cystic. They may or may not cause symptoms such as jaundice and weight loss.
Bile duct cancer can obstruct the flow of bile and cause a variety of health problems including infection (cholangitis), or liver and kidney dysfunction.
Gallbladder cancer is a rare kind of cancer that is discovered during surgery to remove the gallbladder or is discovered late in its clinical course.
Other cancers treated by this team include gastrointestinal stromal tumors, carcinoids, stomach cancer, colon cancer and abdominal or soft tissue sarcomas.

To learn more about these cancers and other diseases of the liver, pancreas and related organs, visit our Liver/Pancreas/Bile Duct pages.

Physician-Contributed Articles

Physicians in the Liver, Pancreas and Bile Duct Cancer Program have contributed articles for this Web site. Please read more:

Complete Treatment Options

Patients in the Liver, Pancreas and Bile Duct Cancer Program have access to a variety of treatment options including several advanced therapies.

Treatment options for these diseases depend on several factors, including the size, type, location and stage of the tumor, as well as the overall health of the patient. In general, surgical removal of the tumor is essential. Depending on the disease, chemotherapy, radiation therapy or a variety of interventional radiology techniques may also be used.

Where to Go

Patients in the Liver, Pancreas and Bile Duct Cancer Program see all their team physicians and nurses in the "Faith" quadrant of the Clinical Cancer Center.

Surgical Therapy

Complex surgical procedures for cancer are performed regularly at Froedtert & The Medical College. Our surgeons offer the latest in surgical techniques, including laparoscopic and major open resections, ablative therapies (radiofrequency ablation, cryotherapy and microwave ablation) and palliative bypasses.

Interventional Radiology Treatments

The following interventional radiology treatments are available to treat cancers of the liver, pancreas, gall bladder and bile ducts:

Percutaneous ablation therapies include radiofrequency ablation (uses high-frequency current to heat and destroy tumors) and cryoablation (destroys tumors through freezing).
Chemoembolization delivers chemotherapy drugs directly to the tumor, then blocks the blood flow to trap the medication at the tumor site.
TheraSphere® technology delivers microscopic glass beads impregnated with radiation to the tumor site.
Stent procedures can reduce cancer-related pain by relieving tumor pressure on ducts or large veins.

Radiation and Medical Oncology

Radiation oncologists and medical oncologists are expert cancer physicians who have disease-specific interests. They are directly involved in administering coordinated cancer care including available clinical trials and novel anti-cancer therapies.

Radiation is used as a follow-up to surgery or as a palliative approach to shrink inoperable tumors. Options in radiation therapy include:

Brachytherapy - the placing of a radioactive source next to the tumor.
TomoTherapy® - an advanced technology capable of delivering high doses of radiation to tightly focused areas
Chemotherapy is the delivery of specific drugs that work against tumor growth and spread.

The physicians of the Liver, Pancreas and Bile Duct Cancer Program are actively involved in researching new cancer treatments. Many patients have access to these investigational therapies through our clinical trials program.

Academic Publications

As part of the academic medical center that is Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin, the exceptional physicians of the Liver, Pancreas and Bile Duct Cancer Program are involved in teaching and research, publishing and presenting often. A collection of some of these articles can be found in our Academic Publications section.

Contact Us

To learn more about the Liver, Pancreas and Bile Duct Program or to make an appointment, please contact us online or call 414-805-0505 (toll-free 866-680-0505).

Last Review Date: Nov. 5, 2009

Online Editor(s): Richard Petre