Sriram "Sri" Srikant, 33, bile duct cancer, Cambridge, with Thomas A. Abrams, MD, Institute Physician of Gastrointestinal Cancers, Dana-Farber

Sriram "Sri" Srikant (SHREE-ram "SHREE" SHREE-cant), 33, bile duct cancer, Cambridge, withThomas A. Abrams, MD, Institute Physician of Gastrointestinal Cancers, Dana-Farber· For a few months in early 2022, Shree was experiencing abdominal distress thatprogressively worsened. Eventually, he was unable to eat solid foods. He visited his primary carephysician who informed him that it looked like he had a large growth duct on his liver/pancreasleading to the digestive system. He initially hoped for surgery, but additional scans confirmedthat the cancer was metastatic.· For treatment, Shree started chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy; since thenhe’s almost continuously been receiving immunotherapy and just restarted chemotherapy. Sideeffects have been minimal because of Shree’s young age and good health, according to hisdoctor, Dr. Abrams.· As a post-doctoral scientist at MIT, Shree has been able to understand and appreciatethe details of his journey, but it’s also been more difficult to accept what the future may hold.He also notes that Dr. Abrams treats him as a partner in the process: always helping him tounderstand what’s going on. Their goal is not to just keep him alive, but to continue living. Shreesays at times it’s hard for others to understand how he was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma(or bile duct cancer) at such a young age. The average age of diagnosis for the disease is around70 years old.· Shree grew up in India and moved to Cambridge to pursue graduate school studies. Hisyounger brother and parents are now with him as he navigates his treatment.Bile duct cancer facts· Bile duct cancer arises from the cells that line the bile ducts, the drainage system for bilethat is produced by the liver. Bile ducts collect this bile, draining it into the gallbladder andfinally into the small intestine where it aids in the digestion process.· According to the American Cancer Society, bile duct cancer is rare with about 8,000people in the United States are diagnosed with Bile Duct Cancer each year. This includes bothintrahepatic (inside the liver) and extrahepatic (outside the liver) bile duct cancers.· Bile duct cancer is more common in Southeast Asia, mostly because a parasitic infectionthat can cause bile duct cancer is much more common there. · Bile duct cancer can occur at young ages, but it is seen mainly in older people. Theaverage age of people diagnosed in the US with bile duct cancer is about 70.Thomas A. Abrams, MD· Thomas A. Abrams, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical Schooland a senior physician at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. His clinical interests are gastrointestinalcancers, and he is a board-certified medical oncologist.· Dr. Abrams received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in 2000. Hereceived his undergraduate degree in biology from Brown University and his medical degreefrom the Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Hesubsequently completed his residency in internal medicine and his fellowship in medicaloncology at University of Michigan Hospital before coming to Dana-Farber in 2006.· Dr. Abrams is a national leader in patterns-of-care research in gastrointestinalmalignancies. His investigations into colorectal and pancreatic cancer chemotherapy treatmentpatterns have shown how factors such as oncologist experience and practice setting impacttreatment decisions made by physicians. He also has a strong interest in telemedicine and itsimpact on cancer care delivery.