Locations
Surgical Oncology Faculty Practice Associates
New York, NY
Phone
Practice website
About
Bio
Dr. Sarpel is the author of several articles and book chapters in the field of surgical oncology. She was recently awarded a grant from the National Cancer Institute to study disparities in cancer. The story of Dr. Sarpel and one of her patients was featured in the book "Twelve Patients."
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Surgery
Surgical Oncology
Languages spoken
English
Doctor Q&A
37 Answers
4 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 27-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Unfortunately, yes: The term pancreatic cancer usually refers specifically to pancreatic adenocarcinoma, the most common type. While there are other pancreatic tumors wi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Surgery or ablation: Currently, liver cancer can only be cured by surgical removal of the tumor, or by removing the entire liver and performing a liver transplantation. P... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Connected structures: The head of the pancreas, the duodenum, and the bile duct are all tightly connected structures, so that if one of those organs needs to be resected - ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Resect and reconnect: The head of the pancreas, the duodenum, and the bile duct are all tightly connected structures, so that if one of those organs needs to be resected - ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Bloodwork not enough: There is no blood work that can screen for liver cancer. AFP is a test that is sometimes used, but is so insensitive that it's routine use is no long... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 54-year-old male asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Right hemicolectomy: A right hemicolectomy, or removal of the right side of the colon, typically involves a 4-5 day hospital stay. After discharge home, most patients nee... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 29-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Silent cancer: Unfortunately, liver cancer does not produce symptoms until very advanced stages. In order to catch liver cancer in its early and curable stages, it ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged
A 30-year-old female asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
In select patients: Chemotherapy is recommended for patients whose lymph nodes are involved with cancer, and is also advisable in select patients who are node-negative, b... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Yes: The bacteria h. Pylori is a well established cause of stomach cancer, and eliminating the infection with a course of antibiotics will lower your risk.... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Leak from pancreas: Intra-abdominal infections after a whipple are most often due to a pancreatic leak. This operation involves creating 3 new connections to the bowel, a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Risk factors: Unfortunately liver cancer can arise in very young patients. The most common reason is a chronic hepatitis b infection seen in individuals born in hig... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Consider treatment: In a recent study, patients with stage IV liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) were randomized to receive either a new drug (sorafenib) or a placeb... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Several reasons: Pancreatic cancer has lower survival rates for several reasons. 1) there are no symptoms with early pancreatic cancer, and no screening tests, so it ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Endoscopy: There are no blood tests etc, that can be used to check for stomach cancer. In the us, the only test that can check for stomach cancer is an upper en... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Yes: Crohn's disease can affect any part of the GI tract from the mouth to the anus. In many patients, the colon is not involved, and so a colonoscopy will... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Yes!: Definitely. The aim of liver resection is to remove the tumor and hopefully achieve a cure. Long term survival rates vary by tumor type. Unfortunate... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
No: Liver enzymes may be elevated for several reasons - but is almost never a sign of liver cancer. Elevated enzymes occur when the liver is damaged by a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Hard to prevent: There are several risk factors for stomach cancer including asian ethnicity, smoking, and infection with the bacteria h.Pylori. If you have h.Pylori ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Pancreatic cancer: The term pancreatic cancer usually refers specifically to pancreatic adenocarcinoma, the most common type. While there are other pancreatic tumors wi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 22-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Eventually normal: If only a small amount of stomach is removed at surgery there will be little effect on eating. However, if most or all of the stomach is removed, a p... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
HCC: The term 'liver cancer' most accurately refers to the tumor called hepatocellular carcinoma. Some people mistakenly refer to other tumors that have sp... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
No: The only way to diagnose stomach cancer is by an endoscopy and biopsy. This is a procedure where a camera is placed down the mouth into the stomach. ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old female asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Too small to say: Lesions that are <1cm are difficult to diagnose definitively. In these situations, we typically recommend a repeat imaging test (ct or mri) in 4-6 mo... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Usually silent: Liver cancer does not produce pain or other symptoms to watch out for. Patients who are at high risk for liver cancer should undergo a ct scan or MRI... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Long, but worth it!: In order to become a surgical oncologist a person has to complete 4 years of college, then 4 years of medical school, then 5 years of general surgery ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Whipple: The medical term for a whipple is a pancreaticoduodenectomy. In this operation, the head of the pancreas, the duodenum, and the bile duct are all rem... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
CT scan: When stomach cancer spreads, the most common sites are to the liver or to the lining of the abdomen. In order to monitor for spread, your doctor wi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Depends on location: How much of the stomach is removed depends on the size and location of the tumor. Sometimes only 1/3rd of the stomach needs to be removed, but someti... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Several risk factors: Stomach cancer happens when a mutation in one of the stomach's normal cells leads to cancerous transformation. Although no one knows exactly why thi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
No, but raises risk: Cirrhosis describes the scarring that occurs when the liver has been damaged by hepatitis or alcohol use. Cirrhosis is not cancer, but it is a strong... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
CT or MRI: Diagnosing a liver cancer - aka hepatocellular carcinoma is fairly straightforward. Either a quality dual phase ct scan or MRI will accurately diagno... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A male asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Not helpful: Liver function tests are not a reflection of whether a tumor is cancerous. In fact, someone could have several cancerous liver tumors and have comple... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Unlikely: Most early stage colon cancers cause no symptoms at all. Very advanced colon cancers can grow and invade nearby structures, potentially causing pain.... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old female asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Hard to say: Since surgery was several months ago, it is probably not directly related. 91/60 may be a normal blood pressure for some women - it depends on what y... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
CT or MRI: Absolutely. Patients who are at high risk for liver cancer should undergo a ct scan or MRI every 6 months. High risk patients include those with cirr... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 53-year-old female asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
Usually Stage IV: In the setting of stomach cancer, fluid build-up - or 'ascites' - usually means that tumor cells have spread to the lining of the abdomen. These meta... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old female asked:
Dr. Umut Sarpelanswered
Surgery 22 years experience
May have no symptoms: If it was caught early and removed completely, you have a good chance of it never coming back. Nets can cause symptoms, or they can be silent, non-fu... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
3
Recommendations
93
Thank you notes
Sep 16, 2013
He provides thoughtful answers.
HealthTap member
Mar 30, 2015
Dr. Sarpel is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Mar 31, 2015
Dr. Sarpel is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! had h pylori for 1.5 years, what r my chanes for stomach cancer.
HealthTap member
Thanks for your quick reply! Excellent.With advent of internet,our world will never be the same again
HealthTap member
This saved my life. Thank You! indication for right and left hemocolectomy
Education & Training
Residency
MOUNT SINAI MEDICAL CENTER
Awards
Top Surgical Oncologist, First Place, New York - Summer
2013
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