Digestive Oncology Department

The Interhospital Digestive Oncology Department spans 5 fields: 

• Cancers of the upper digestive tract (œsophagus and stomach)
• Cancers of the colon, rectum and anus
• Hepatobiliary cancers (liver and bile ducts)
• Pancreatic cancers  within a recognised multidisciplinary centre of expertise
• Neuroendocrine cancers that are treated in partnership with, in particular, the Nuclear Medicine Department via the NET ULB Center. This reference centre is accredited at European level. 

Within a multidisciplinary partnership the department has developed recognised expertise and proposes fast track care and innovative treatment for oesophageal, pancreatic, hepatobiliary and colorectal tumours.  

Cancer treatment is always multidisciplinary. The department's (gastro)oncologists therefore cooperate day-to-day with other specialities and medical departments.  Digestive cancer screening, diagnosis and assessment are carried out in partnership with gastroenterology (endoscopy in particular),   radiology, nuclear medicine and anatomical pathology. The treatment itself involves medico-surgical cooperation that includes digestive surgery and extends to medical oncology, radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, radiology and interventional endoscopy, etc. 

The Interhospital Digestive Oncology Department initiates or participates in a number of clinical research activities that are integrated within the care programmes. 

• Several clinical studies, including studies initiated by the academic sector, are currently running, in cooperation with the pharmaceutical sector. 
  Objective: to study and assess new and innovative cancer treatment (immunotherapy, precision medicine, etc.). 
   
• Translational research programmes (that is, fundamental research in the laboratory and clinical trials on humans) are conducted in cooperation with a number of research laboratories in Belgium and abroad. Within the   HUB-ULB network, the Digestive Oncology Department operates in particular with the   Laboratory of Experimental Gastroenterology (LGE) of the ULB Faculty of Medicine and the Jules Bordet Institute's GI Lab.