Online Wellness Symposium - Session 2: Common Gastrointestinal Issues During Treatment

Several gastrointestinal issues can impact ovarian cancer survivors' quality of life while living with and through their cancer diagnosis. During treatment, some individuals experience loss of appetite, nausea, or chronic diarrhea. Facing a new normal after surgery with a colostomy or ileostomy bag can also overwhelm patients, whether permanent or reversible. Bowel obstructions leave many patients in fear. We want patients to understand the different gastrointestinal issues they may face and what questions to ask their healthcare team to make the most informed decisions.
Nita Karnik Lee, MD, is a Gynecologic Oncologist at UChicago Medicine who specializes in diagnosing and treating women with gynecologic cancers. Her focus is on providing comprehensive and compassionate surgical, chemotherapy, and survivorship care to women diagnosed with ovarian, uterine, cervical, vulvar, or vaginal cancers throughout their cancer journey.
Dejan Micic, MD, an Associate Professor of Medicine at UChicago, is a clinical gastroenterologist renowned for his expertise in treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Additionally, he specializes in managing gastrointestinal conditions that lead to nutritional disorders, including short bowel syndrome and malabsorption syndrome, which hinder the full absorption of essential nutrients. His expertise in nutrition includes identifying malnutrition, providing nutrition education, and using alternative methods to get nutrients into the body.