Focusing on You: Colon Cancer Patients Benefit from Sylvester’s Multidisciplinary Approach

Colorectal surgeon discusses risks, screening, and how surgery saves lives.

In this segment, Nivedh Paluvoi, M.D., a colorectal surgeon at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses colon cancer risk, why screening is so important, and how Sylvester’s multidisciplinary approach is helping patients beat cancer and get back to enjoying their lives. Marcus Oliver is one of those patients.

After years of being misdiagnosed, Marcus Oliver learned he had late-stage colon cancer.

“It was really hurting in my stomach, and I couldn’t eat. I wouldn’t eat. I was scared that I was going to die,” says Marcus.

But then Marcus was referred to colorectal surgeon Dr. Nivedh Paluvoi at Sylvester.

“Usually about 90% of colon cancers or colorectal cancers are diagnosed in patients over the age of 50. With that being said, we are seeing a significant increase in patients under the age of 45,” Dr. Paluvoi says.

Obesity, smoking, and drinking alcohol increases the risk. That’s why getting screened for this preventable cancer is so important.

“Patients generally undergo screening with colonoscopy, and that’s considered to be a gold standard. So, all patients, whether male or female, at age 45 should be undergoing colonoscopy,” says Dr. Paluvoi.

“How is Sylvester on the cutting-edge of treating colon cancer?” asks anchor Pam Giganti.

“We generally do most of our surgery, minimally invasively, whether that’s robotic or laparoscopically. So, patients are going home faster, they’re having less symptoms,” Dr. Paluvoi explains.

Marcus’ complex case called for Sylvester’s multidisciplinary team of experts.

“Between the colorectal surgery team, the urology team, as well as a plastic surgery team, we were ultimately able to remove his tumor with clear margins,” says Dr. Paluvoi.

Now cancer-free, Marcus is looking forward to his two loves – painting and spending time with his family.

“They saved my life. They saved my life,” says Marcus.

Tags: colon cancer, colorectal cancer, colorectal surgeon, Dr. Nivedh Paluvoi, focusing on you, robotic surgery