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GI Update

The CHARM Trial: CHemotherapy for Ablation and Resolution of Mucinous Pancreatic Cysts

Jan. 5, 2015

Pancreatic cysts are incidentally detected in 5-20 percent of patients over the age of sixty-five who undergo CT or MRI imaging, and the majority of these cysts are comprised of premalignant type mucinous cysts. While their detection may lead to early treatment or prevention of pancreatic cancer, effective and safe management poses a challenge.

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Advances in Treating Esophageal Perforation

Jun. 19, 2014

Decisions regarding the treatment of patients with an esophageal perforation or spontaneous rupture are usually tackled in the emergency care setting. In recent years, the viable treatment options for patients with such life-threatening problems have expanded with development of new techniques and more widespread use of collaborative care.

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Advanced Endoscopic Procedures to Diagnose and Treat Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GISTs)

Jun. 19, 2014

Important advances over the last decade in our understanding of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) have opened the door to earlier diagnosis, innovative treatment, and improved patient survival. Most often occurring in the stomach, GISTs are thought to arise from the interstitial cells of Cajal, and are marked by mutations in the c-kit proto-oncogene, which expresses […]

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Per-oral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) for Treatment of Achalasia

Jun. 18, 2014

New approaches to treating achalasia, a neuromuscular condition marked by difficulty swallowing, successfully reduce esophageal sphincter pressure, while avoiding the need for laparoscopic surgery.

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Defining the Role of Intestinal Macrophages in Adaptive Immune Responses, Inflammation, and Dysmotility

Jan. 23, 2014

Throughout the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, mononuclear phagocytes, such as dendritic cells and macrophages, play key roles in protective immune responses. A subpopulation of macrophages that resides in the smooth muscle layer of the gut which faces the peritoneum also known as muscularis externa, e.g., muscularis macrophages (MMs), is still poorly understood.

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Basic Research at Penn State Hershey Places Pancreatic Cancer Prevention on the Horizon

Jun. 28, 2013

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Usually detected at only the most advanced stages and with median survival time of only three to six months, it leaves little time for treatment or cure. This abysmal clinical outlook has fueled a great deal of research into the nature of pancreatic cancer, as well as key patient factors that place some people at increased risk of the disease.

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New Developments in the Rapidly Evolving Landscape of Hepatitis C Therapy

Jun. 27, 2013

Hepatitis C is one of the most dreaded conditions in the United States today, affecting approximately 2 percent of the population. It remains the most common cause for liver transplantation in the United States; 10,000-20,000 patients with hepatitis C die annually.

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Innovative and Minimally Invasive Techniques for Pancreatic Cyst Ablation and Cancer Prevention

Jun. 27, 2013

Cancer of the pancreas remains one of the greatest clinical challenges in oncology. With no reliable screening tests and a poor prognosis following identification, the need for novel approaches toward this disease remains largely unmet.

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Thromboembolism Prophylaxis is Under-prescribed in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients

Jun. 26, 2013

Inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease) is associated with an increased risk of thromboembolism. Andrew Tinsley MD, MS, associate director of clinical research and quality at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center’s Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center explains, “While thromboembolic events are rare, they can be potentially life-threatening.

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Treatment-resistant Chronic Constipation: Sign of an Underlying Motility Disorder

Jan. 17, 2013

Most gastroenterologists have encountered patients who complain of chronic constipation. Colonoscopy shows no anatomical abnormalities. Nonetheless, conservative treatment with laxatives and bulking agents brings only temporary, minor relief. After several failed treatment attempts, the patient is distressed, uncomfortable and anxious; the gastroenterologist is frustrated.

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Badge image of U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals – Ranked nationally in Gastroenterology & GI Surgery Specialties for 2024-2025.

U.S. News & World Report 2024-2025

Penn State Health Gastroenterology and Hepatology provides comprehensive services in the diagnosis, medical management and endoscopic treatment of diseases affecting the digestive system and liver.

Penn State Health Colon and Rectal Surgery consists of highly skilled, board-certified surgeons specializing in the treatment of patients with complicated colorectal disease. Each surgeon uses advanced diagnostic capabilities, the latest drug therapies, and leading-edge surgical techniques to provide the most effective medical care possible.

The mission of Penn State Health Gastroenterology and Hepatology and Penn State Health Colorectal Surgery is to provide world-class care and to advance the knowledge of disorders of the digestive system and liver through research, as well as to train the physicians of the future. The physicians participate in studies to determine the usefulness of novel treatments through clinical research studies and also in research which advances the basic knowledge of the disorders in this field.

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