{"id":16324,"date":"2026-11-12T15:01:40","date_gmt":"2026-11-12T15:01:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/?p=16324"},"modified":"2026-11-12T15:01:41","modified_gmt":"2026-11-12T15:01:41","slug":"digestive-cancer-myths-screening-risk-surgery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/fitness-wellbeing\/digestive-cancer-myths-screening-risk-surgery\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Things People Get Wrong About Digestive Cancers, From Someone Who Operates on Them"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6af5ee3a00731\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #4d948b;color:#4d948b\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #4d948b;color:#4d948b\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6af5ee3a00731\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/fitness-wellbeing\/digestive-cancer-myths-screening-risk-surgery\/#Myth_1_%E2%80%9CIf_It_Doesnt_Run_in_My_Family_Im_Not_at_Risk%E2%80%9D\" >Myth 1: \u201cIf It Doesn&#8217;t Run in My Family, I&#8217;m Not at Risk\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/fitness-wellbeing\/digestive-cancer-myths-screening-risk-surgery\/#Myth_2_%E2%80%9CId_Definitely_Notice_Symptoms_Early%E2%80%9D\" >Myth 2: \u201cI&#8217;d Definitely Notice Symptoms Early\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/fitness-wellbeing\/digestive-cancer-myths-screening-risk-surgery\/#Myth_3_%E2%80%9CThis_Is_an_Older_Persons_Disease%E2%80%9D\" >Myth 3: \u201cThis Is an Older Person&#8217;s Disease\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/fitness-wellbeing\/digestive-cancer-myths-screening-risk-surgery\/#Myth_4_%E2%80%9CSurgery_for_This_Kind_of_Thing_Is_Always_Massive_and_Terrifying%E2%80%9D\" >Myth 4: \u201cSurgery for This Kind of Thing Is Always Massive and Terrifying\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/fitness-wellbeing\/digestive-cancer-myths-screening-risk-surgery\/#Myth_5_%E2%80%9CEating_Well_Means_I_Dont_Need_to_Worry_About_This%E2%80%9D\" >Myth 5: \u201cEating Well Means I Don&#8217;t Need to Worry About This\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/fitness-wellbeing\/digestive-cancer-myths-screening-risk-surgery\/#The_Honest_Takeaway\" >The Honest Takeaway<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Myth_1_%E2%80%9CIf_It_Doesnt_Run_in_My_Family_Im_Not_at_Risk%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>Myth 1: \u201cIf It Doesn&#8217;t Run in My Family, I&#8217;m Not at Risk\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. Family history is one part of risk assessment, but many people who develop gastrointestinal cancers have no striking family history. Age, symptoms, personal medical history and other risk factors also matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Myth_2_%E2%80%9CId_Definitely_Notice_Symptoms_Early%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>Myth 2: \u201cI&#8217;d Definitely Notice Symptoms Early\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the common misconceptions I encounter is that if there is no pain, no weight loss and no obvious digestive problem, there cannot be anything serious. Unfortunately, that is not always true. Some cancers can remain clinically quiet in their earlier stages, while the symptoms, when they do appear, may look like ordinary acidity, indigestion or changes in bowel habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I would not want people to become anxious about every digestive symptom. The message is quite different: <strong>absence of symptoms should not be mistaken for proof that everything is fine, particularly when someone falls into a group for whom screening is recommended.<\/strong> Screening is not about looking for cancer in everyone; it is about finding disease early in the people and situations where there is evidence that screening can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Myth_3_%E2%80%9CThis_Is_an_Older_Persons_Disease%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>Myth 3: \u201cThis Is an Older Person&#8217;s Disease\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There&#8217;s been real, documented discussion in recent years about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dana-farber.org\/newsroom\/news-releases\/2025\/dana-farber-report-shows-alarming-rise-in-many-gastrointestinal-cancers-in-young-people\">rising rates of certain digestive cancers in younger adults<\/a>, which has genuinely shifted how some screening guidelines are framed. Age remains an important risk factor for digestive cancers, but it should not become a reason to dismiss symptoms in a younger person. In my practice, we do see younger patients with cancers that traditionally were associated more strongly with older age. That does not mean every digestive complaint in a 30- or 40-year-old is cancer; it means age alone should not determine whether we investigate a persistent or concerning symptom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Screening, however, needs to be separated from symptom-based evaluation. There is no single screening age for every digestive cancer. For colorectal cancer, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org\/uspstf\/recommendation\/colorectal-cancer-screening\">several international guidelines<\/a> now recommend starting screening at 45 for people at average risk, while those with a family history, hereditary risk or other high-risk factors may need to begin earlier and follow a different schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My message to younger patients is simple: <strong>do not panic because you are young, but do not use your age as reassurance when something is clearly not normal.<\/strong> Persistent bleeding, unexplained weight loss, a sustained change in bowel habits, difficulty swallowing or recurring symptoms deserve proper medical evaluation, regardless of whether you are 35 or 65.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Myth_4_%E2%80%9CSurgery_for_This_Kind_of_Thing_Is_Always_Massive_and_Terrifying%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>Myth 4: \u201cSurgery for This Kind of Thing Is Always Massive and Terrifying\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When people hear the word cancer surgery, they often imagine a large incision, a long hospital stay and a very difficult recovery. That is no longer the reality for every patient. In carefully selected cases, laparoscopic and robotic surgery allow us to perform complex cancer operations through much <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cancer.gov\/about-cancer\/treatment\/types\/surgery\">smaller incisions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The benefit is not simply cosmetic. Smaller incisions can mean less pain, earlier mobilisation and a smoother recovery, allowing patients to get back to their normal routines sooner. But I would also emphasise that minimally invasive surgery is not automatically better just because it is minimally invasive. <strong>The priority is always complete and safe cancer removal.<\/strong> The surgical approach should be decided based on the type, location and stage of the cancer, and what will give that particular patient the best outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, we have the ability to combine specialist surgical expertise with advanced technology to make even complex procedures more precise and, where appropriate, less invasive. So surgery should not be feared based on what it looked like decades ago. The right question is not, \u2018Will my surgery be big?\u2019 but, \u2018What is the safest and most effective way to treat my cancer?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Myth_5_%E2%80%9CEating_Well_Means_I_Dont_Need_to_Worry_About_This%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>Myth 5: \u201cEating Well Means I Don&#8217;t Need to Worry About This\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I strongly believe that a healthy diet is one of the most practical ways we can reduce our overall cancer risk. Eating more <a href=\"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/fibre-for-digestion\/how-to-increase-fibre-in-indian-diet\/\">whole grains, vegetables, fruits and pulses<\/a>, maintaining a healthy weight and staying physically active all have a role to play. But I would never tell a health-conscious person that eating well means they no longer need to think about screening or symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Prevention and early detection are two different strategies, and we need both.<\/strong> A healthy lifestyle can reduce risk, but it cannot eliminate it. Cancer is influenced by multiple factors, including age, genetics, family history, infections and other exposures that may not be under our control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I would encourage people to think of it as a two-part approach: <strong>eat well to reduce your risk, and stay appropriately alert to detect problems early.<\/strong> If you are in an age or risk group for which screening is recommended, a healthy diet should not become a reason to skip it. And if a persistent or unusual symptom develops, it should be evaluated rather than explained away by the fact that you generally live a healthy lifestyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Honest_Takeaway\"><\/span>The Honest Takeaway<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">None of these five myths are really about being scared of cancer, they&#8217;re about the small, ordinary decisions that come from believing something that isn&#8217;t quite true, skipping a screening because \u201cit doesn&#8217;t run in my family,\u201d waiting for a symptom that may never announce itself clearly, dreading a surgery that looks nothing like it did twenty years ago. Getting the facts right doesn&#8217;t mean thinking about this more. It usually means thinking about it a little less, because you&#8217;re not carrying around an inaccurate, heavier version of the risk than actually exists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/author\/dr-sanket-s-mehta\/\">Dr Sanket S Mehta<\/a> is a surgical oncologist and the Founder and CEO of SSO Cancer Hospitals.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Disclaimer:<\/strong> <em>This is general information, not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have questions about your own risk or symptoms, please speak with a doctor directly.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dr Sanket Mehta separates common misconceptions from clinical reality: from family history and screening to surgery and the limits of healthy eating.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":144,"featured_media":16326,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[1895,1761,1897,1894,24,1763,1896],"ppma_author":[1893],"class_list":["post-16324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fitness-wellbeing","tag-cancer-myths","tag-cancer-screening","tag-cancer-surgery","tag-digestive-cancer","tag-digestive-health","tag-expert-columns","tag-family-history"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>5 Digestive Cancer Myths: Screening, Risk and Surgery<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Dr Sanket Mehta explains five digestive cancer myths about family history, symptoms, age, surgery and healthy eating, and why appropriate screening matters.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/fitness-wellbeing\/digestive-cancer-myths-screening-risk-surgery\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"5 Digestive Cancer Myths: Screening, Risk and Surgery\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Dr Sanket Mehta explains five digestive cancer myths about family history, symptoms, age, surgery and healthy eating, and why appropriate screening matters.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/fitness-wellbeing\/digestive-cancer-myths-screening-risk-surgery\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Happytummy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-11-12T15:01:40+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-11-12T15:01:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/pexels-surgery.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"675\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dr Sanket S Mehta\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Dr Sanket S Mehta\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\\\/en\\\/fitness-wellbeing\\\/digestive-cancer-myths-screening-risk-surgery\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\\\/en\\\/fitness-wellbeing\\\/digestive-cancer-myths-screening-risk-surgery\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Dr Sanket S Mehta\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/31525c486f0fd111b3f7713cbb304b14\"},\"headline\":\"Five Things People Get Wrong About Digestive Cancers, From Someone Who Operates on Them\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-11-12T15:01:40+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-11-12T15:01:41+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\\\/en\\\/fitness-wellbeing\\\/digestive-cancer-myths-screening-risk-surgery\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":970,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\\\/en\\\/fitness-wellbeing\\\/digestive-cancer-myths-screening-risk-surgery\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/11\\\/pexels-surgery.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Cancer Myths\",\"Cancer Screening\",\"Cancer Surgery\",\"Digestive Cancer\",\"Digestive Health\",\"Expert Columns\",\"Family History\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Fitness &amp; 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Image via PEXELS\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\\\/en\\\/fitness-wellbeing\\\/digestive-cancer-myths-screening-risk-surgery\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Five Things People Get Wrong About Digestive Cancers, From Someone Who Operates on Them\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"HappyTummy\",\"description\":\"HappyTummy\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/31525c486f0fd111b3f7713cbb304b14\",\"name\":\"Dr Sanket S Mehta\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/11\\\/Dr.-Sanket-Mehta-Founder-Lead-Surgical-Oncologist-SSO-Cancer-Hospital-1-fotor-20261112171533.pngfdd422eb7911b1a52e186045d378ac77\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/11\\\/Dr.-Sanket-Mehta-Founder-Lead-Surgical-Oncologist-SSO-Cancer-Hospital-1-fotor-20261112171533.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/11\\\/Dr.-Sanket-Mehta-Founder-Lead-Surgical-Oncologist-SSO-Cancer-Hospital-1-fotor-20261112171533.png\",\"caption\":\"Dr Sanket S Mehta\"},\"description\":\"Dr Sanket S Mehta is a surgical oncologist and the Founder and CEO of SSO Cancer Hospitals. His clinical work focuses on gastrointestinal, hepatopancreatobiliary and gynaecological cancers, with a particular interest in peritoneal surface malignancies, which affect the lining of the abdomen. His areas of practice include cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, commonly known as CRS-HIPEC, alongside laparoscopic and robotic cancer surgery. Dr Mehta has been in independent onco-surgical practice since 2011. He is Section Chief of the Division of Peritoneal Surface Oncology at Saifee Hospital, Mumbai, and has undertaken specialist clinical training in the USA, France, Italy and South Korea. He co-founded the Society of Peritoneal Surface Oncology of India and the Indian HIPEC Registry, and has contributed to research on peritoneal malignancies and cancer surgery. Areas of expertise \u2022 Peritoneal surface malignancies and CRS-HIPEC \u2022 Gastrointestinal oncology \u2022 Hepatopancreatobiliary surgery involving the liver, pancreas and bile ducts \u2022 Gynaecological oncology \u2022 Laparoscopic and robotic cancer surgery Education and medical training MBBS; MS in General Surgery. Surgical oncology training at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. Clinical and professional roles \u2022 Founder and CEO, SSO Cancer Hospitals \u2022 Section Chief, Division of Peritoneal Surface Oncology, Saifee Hospital, Mumbai \u2022 Co-founder, Society of Peritoneal Surface Oncology of India and Indian HIPEC Registry International clinical training Institution and location Area of training MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington DC, USA CRS and HIPEC with Dr Paul Sugarbaker CRLC Val d\u2019Aurelle, Montpellier, France Gastrointestinal oncology and CRS-HIPEC H\u00f4pital Saint-Eloi, CHU Montpellier, France Digestive and minimally invasive surgery Humanitas Hospital, Milan, Italy Hepatopancreatobiliary surgery St Mary\u2019s Hospital, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea Laparoscopic and robotic colorectal surgery Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea Minimally invasive hepatic surgery &nbsp; Selected research publications Dr Mehta has contributed to the following research publications. His role in the 2025 consensus is recorded as a collaborator. 2025\u00a0 Peritonectomy procedures for peritoneal surface malignancies: PSOGI-ESGO-ISSPP Lyon consensus. British Journal of Surgery. 2024\u00a0 Perioperative outcomes and platinum resistant recurrence in patients undergoing systematic, protocol-based, total parietal peritonectomy during interval cytoreductive surgery for advanced ovarian cancer: results of the TORPEDO study. Journal of Gynecologic Oncology. 2020\u00a0 The Pathologic Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) Strongly Differs From the Surgical PCI in Peritoneal Metastases Arising From Various Primary Tumors. Annals of Surgical Oncology. 2011\u00a0 Results of two bi-institutional prospective studies using intraperitoneal oxaliplatin with or without irinotecan during HIPEC after cytoreductive surgery for colorectal carcinomatosis. Annals of Surgery. Access to cancer care Dr Mehta founded the Cancer Charity Trust in 2014 to help marginalised patients access subsidised cancer care. 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Image via PEXELS"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/fitness-wellbeing\/digestive-cancer-myths-screening-risk-surgery\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Five Things People Get Wrong About Digestive Cancers, From Someone Who Operates on Them"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/","name":"HappyTummy","description":"HappyTummy","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/31525c486f0fd111b3f7713cbb304b14","name":"Dr Sanket S Mehta","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Dr.-Sanket-Mehta-Founder-Lead-Surgical-Oncologist-SSO-Cancer-Hospital-1-fotor-20261112171533.pngfdd422eb7911b1a52e186045d378ac77","url":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Dr.-Sanket-Mehta-Founder-Lead-Surgical-Oncologist-SSO-Cancer-Hospital-1-fotor-20261112171533.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Dr.-Sanket-Mehta-Founder-Lead-Surgical-Oncologist-SSO-Cancer-Hospital-1-fotor-20261112171533.png","caption":"Dr Sanket S Mehta"},"description":"Dr Sanket S Mehta is a surgical oncologist and the Founder and CEO of SSO Cancer Hospitals. His clinical work focuses on gastrointestinal, hepatopancreatobiliary and gynaecological cancers, with a particular interest in peritoneal surface malignancies, which affect the lining of the abdomen. His areas of practice include cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, commonly known as CRS-HIPEC, alongside laparoscopic and robotic cancer surgery. Dr Mehta has been in independent onco-surgical practice since 2011. He is Section Chief of the Division of Peritoneal Surface Oncology at Saifee Hospital, Mumbai, and has undertaken specialist clinical training in the USA, France, Italy and South Korea. He co-founded the Society of Peritoneal Surface Oncology of India and the Indian HIPEC Registry, and has contributed to research on peritoneal malignancies and cancer surgery. Areas of expertise \u2022 Peritoneal surface malignancies and CRS-HIPEC \u2022 Gastrointestinal oncology \u2022 Hepatopancreatobiliary surgery involving the liver, pancreas and bile ducts \u2022 Gynaecological oncology \u2022 Laparoscopic and robotic cancer surgery Education and medical training MBBS; MS in General Surgery. Surgical oncology training at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. Clinical and professional roles \u2022 Founder and CEO, SSO Cancer Hospitals \u2022 Section Chief, Division of Peritoneal Surface Oncology, Saifee Hospital, Mumbai \u2022 Co-founder, Society of Peritoneal Surface Oncology of India and Indian HIPEC Registry International clinical training Institution and location Area of training MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington DC, USA CRS and HIPEC with Dr Paul Sugarbaker CRLC Val d\u2019Aurelle, Montpellier, France Gastrointestinal oncology and CRS-HIPEC H\u00f4pital Saint-Eloi, CHU Montpellier, France Digestive and minimally invasive surgery Humanitas Hospital, Milan, Italy Hepatopancreatobiliary surgery St Mary\u2019s Hospital, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea Laparoscopic and robotic colorectal surgery Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea Minimally invasive hepatic surgery &nbsp; Selected research publications Dr Mehta has contributed to the following research publications. His role in the 2025 consensus is recorded as a collaborator. 2025\u00a0 Peritonectomy procedures for peritoneal surface malignancies: PSOGI-ESGO-ISSPP Lyon consensus. British Journal of Surgery. 2024\u00a0 Perioperative outcomes and platinum resistant recurrence in patients undergoing systematic, protocol-based, total parietal peritonectomy during interval cytoreductive surgery for advanced ovarian cancer: results of the TORPEDO study. Journal of Gynecologic Oncology. 2020\u00a0 The Pathologic Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) Strongly Differs From the Surgical PCI in Peritoneal Metastases Arising From Various Primary Tumors. Annals of Surgical Oncology. 2011\u00a0 Results of two bi-institutional prospective studies using intraperitoneal oxaliplatin with or without irinotecan during HIPEC after cytoreductive surgery for colorectal carcinomatosis. Annals of Surgery. Access to cancer care Dr Mehta founded the Cancer Charity Trust in 2014 to help marginalised patients access subsidised cancer care. Professional links Professional profile on Everhope SSO Cancer Hospitals","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/sanket-mehta-47ba6b1b\/"],"url":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/author\/dr-sanket-s-mehta\/"}]}},"authors":[{"term_id":1893,"user_id":144,"is_guest":0,"slug":"dr-sanket-s-mehta","display_name":"Dr Sanket S Mehta","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Dr.-Sanket-Mehta-Founder-Lead-Surgical-Oncologist-SSO-Cancer-Hospital-1-fotor-20261112171533.png","url2x":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Dr.-Sanket-Mehta-Founder-Lead-Surgical-Oncologist-SSO-Cancer-Hospital-1-fotor-20261112171533.png"},"author_category":"1","first_name":"Dr Sanket","last_name":"S Mehta","user_url":"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/sanket-mehta-47ba6b1b\/","job_title":"Surgical Oncologist | Founder and CEO, SSO Cancer Hospitals","description":"Dr Sanket S Mehta is a surgical oncologist and the Founder and CEO of SSO Cancer Hospitals. His clinical work focuses on gastrointestinal, hepatopancreatobiliary and gynaecological cancers, with a particular interest in peritoneal surface malignancies, which affect the lining of the abdomen. His areas of practice include cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, commonly known as CRS-HIPEC, alongside laparoscopic and robotic cancer surgery.\r\n\r\nDr Mehta has been in independent onco-surgical practice since 2011. He is Section Chief of the Division of Peritoneal Surface Oncology at Saifee Hospital, Mumbai, and has undertaken specialist clinical training in the USA, France, Italy and South Korea. He co-founded the Society of Peritoneal Surface Oncology of India and the Indian HIPEC Registry, and has contributed to research on peritoneal malignancies and cancer surgery.\r\n<h3>Areas of expertise<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Peritoneal surface malignancies and CRS-HIPEC<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Gastrointestinal oncology<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Hepatopancreatobiliary surgery involving the liver, pancreas and bile ducts<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Gynaecological oncology<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Laparoscopic and robotic cancer surgery<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Education and medical training<\/h3>\r\nMBBS; MS in General Surgery.\r\n\r\nSurgical oncology training at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai.\r\n<h3>Clinical and professional roles<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Founder and CEO, SSO Cancer Hospitals<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Section Chief, Division of Peritoneal Surface Oncology, Saifee Hospital, Mumbai<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Co-founder, Society of Peritoneal Surface Oncology of India and Indian HIPEC Registry<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>International clinical training<\/h3>\r\n<table>\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"365\"><strong>Institution and location<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td width=\"307\"><strong>Area of training<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"365\">MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington DC, USA<\/td>\r\n<td width=\"307\">CRS and HIPEC with Dr Paul Sugarbaker<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"365\">CRLC Val d\u2019Aurelle, Montpellier, France<\/td>\r\n<td width=\"307\">Gastrointestinal oncology and CRS-HIPEC<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"365\">H\u00f4pital Saint-Eloi, CHU Montpellier, France<\/td>\r\n<td width=\"307\">Digestive and minimally invasive surgery<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"365\">Humanitas Hospital, Milan, Italy<\/td>\r\n<td width=\"307\">Hepatopancreatobiliary surgery<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"365\">St Mary\u2019s Hospital, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea<\/td>\r\n<td width=\"307\">Laparoscopic and robotic colorectal surgery<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"365\">Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea<\/td>\r\n<td width=\"307\">Minimally invasive hepatic surgery<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Selected research publications<\/h3>\r\nDr Mehta has contributed to the following research publications. His role in the 2025 consensus is recorded as a collaborator.\r\n\r\n<strong>2025\u00a0 <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/40560098\/\">Peritonectomy procedures for peritoneal surface malignancies: PSOGI-ESGO-ISSPP Lyon consensus<\/a>. British Journal of Surgery.\r\n\r\n<strong>2024\u00a0 <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/38710529\/\">Perioperative outcomes and platinum resistant recurrence in patients undergoing systematic, protocol-based, total parietal peritonectomy during interval cytoreductive surgery for advanced ovarian cancer: results of the TORPEDO study<\/a>. Journal of Gynecologic Oncology.\r\n\r\n<strong>2020\u00a0 <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32040698\/\">The Pathologic Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) Strongly Differs From the Surgical PCI in Peritoneal Metastases Arising From Various Primary Tumors<\/a>. Annals of Surgical Oncology.\r\n\r\n<strong>2011\u00a0 <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/21772129\/\">Results of two bi-institutional prospective studies using intraperitoneal oxaliplatin with or without irinotecan during HIPEC after cytoreductive surgery for colorectal carcinomatosis<\/a>. Annals of Surgery.\r\n<h3>Access to cancer care<\/h3>\r\nDr Mehta founded the Cancer Charity Trust in 2014 to help marginalised patients access subsidised cancer care.\r\n<h3>Professional links<\/h3>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/everhope.care\/doctor\/dr-sanket-mehta\">Professional profile on Everhope<\/a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/ssohospitals.com\/\">SSO Cancer Hospitals<\/a>"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16324","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/144"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16324"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16324\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16325,"href":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16324\/revisions\/16325"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16324"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happytummy.aashirvaad.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=16324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}