Ralph Magno first knew something was wrong when he began experiencing shoulder pain while playing tennis. His doctors thought it might be a sign of heart disease, but a chest X-ray f
Magno, 79, of Madeira Beach, Fla., was told by his doctors that it was too risky to biopsy the mass. So he came to New York City for a second opinion, only to find out it would be a month-long wait for a biopsy.
Magno, who was staying with his daughter in Central New Jersey, was anxious to get a definitive diagnosis and begin treatment. After contacting gastroenterologist Surya Irakam, MD, he had a biopsy the next day at Somerset Medical Center.
The medical center is one of only a few hospitals in New Jersey that offers endoscopic ultrasounds to help diagnose and stage cancers of the gastrointestinal tract and cancers adjacent to the gastrointestinal tract, including esophageal, pancreatic, rectal and lung cancers. During the procedure, a long, flexible tube is inserted into the patient’s mouth or rectum. This tube has a small ultrasound transducer at its lighted tip that produces sound waves for clear and detailed images of the gastrointestinal tract and surrounding tissues.
“The endoscopic ultrasound is an important diagnostic tool because it can help us determine how deeply the cancer has penetrated the tissue and if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes,” says Dr. Irakam. “These details are key in individualizing a treatment plan.”
If a tumor or abnormality is identified during this test, doctors also can use fine-needle aspiration to remove tissue samples for further testing to determine if it is cancerous. This minimally invasive alternative to exploratory surgery enables patients to leave the hospital the same day and return to their normal activities within a few days.
“This test can help us identify tumors at their earliest stages and help us determine the best course of treatment for patients, which may include surgery, chemotherapy or radiation,” says Thangamani Seenivasan, MD, a surgical oncologist at Somerset Medical Center.
Magno began chemotherapy and radiation treatment shortly after undergoing an endocsopic ultrasound.
“I got the same test that I would have had in New York, but without the wait,” he says. “I didn’t want to wait to find out what I had. I wanted to begin treatment as soon as possible and get on with my life.”
Somerset Medical Center’s Gastroenterology Center offers a full range of diagnostic services for problems affecting the digestive system, including heartburn, ulcers, unexplained bleeding, gallstones and blocked digestive passages. In addition to endoscopic ultrasound, these tests include endoscopy, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy and endoscopic retrograde cholangio pancreatography. These services include sedation administered by an anesthesiologist to provide for both the comfort and the safety of the patient during the procedures.
For a physician referral, call 800-443-4605.
– Kathleen M. Roberts

