Small intestine cancer is a rare type of cancer that occurs in the small intestine. The small intestine is a long tube that carries digested food between the stomach and the large intestine (colon).

 

Types of small intestine cancer

There are four main types of small intestine cancer:

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• Adenocarcinoma

• Neuroendocrine tumors, including carcinoid tumors and paraganglioma

• Lymphoma

• Sarcoma, including gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST)

 

Risk factor for cancer of the small intestine

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Genetic mutations are passed down through families. Some gene mutations that are inherited from parents can increase the risk of cancer of the small intestine and other types of cancer.

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Other diseases and conditions that affect the intestines can increase the risk of cancer of the small intestine, including Crohn's disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and celiac disease.

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If your body's immune system that fights germs is weakened, you may have a higher risk of small intestine cancer.

 

Symptoms of cancer of the small intestine

Signs and symptoms of small intestine cancer include the following:

 

• Abdominal pain

• Yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jaundice)

• Feeling unusually weak or tired

• Sickness

• Vomiting

• Weight loss without trying

• Blood in the stool, which may be red or black

• Watery diarrhea

• Redness of the skin

 

Diagnosis for cancer of the small intestine

 

Small intestine cancer is difficult to diagnose. For this reason, people who have signs of small intestine cancer often undergo various tests and procedures to find or rule out cancer.

 

Imaging tests: These use machines to create images of the body and look for signs of cancer of the small intestine. Here are some imaging tests to diagnose small intestine cancer:

 

• CT, MRI, Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

• X-rays of the upper digestive system and small intestine after drinking a solution containing barium.

• Nuclear medicine tests, which use a small amount of radioactive tracer to improve imaging tests

 

Exams to see inside your small intestine: Endoscopic exams involve placing a camera inside your small intestine so the doctor can examine the inner walls. These tests may include:

 

• Upper endoscopy

• Capsule endoscopy, sometimes called a camera pill

• Single balloon enteroscopy

• Double balloon enteroscopy

• Spiral enteroscopy

 

Surgery: Sometimes small intestine cancer appears in places that are very hard for tests to find. In these cases, the doctor may recommend surgery to look for signs of cancer in the small intestine and the area around it.

 

Surgery may involve one large cut (incision) in the abdomen (laparotomy) or several small cuts (laparoscopy).

 

During a laparoscopy, the surgeon inserts special surgical instruments and a video camera into the cuts. The camera allows the surgeon to correctly move the instruments to see inside the abdomen.

Treatment for cancer of the small intestine

 

Treatment for small intestine cancer depends on the type of cancer and its stage. 

The options can be the following:

 

• Surgery

• Chemotherapy

• Targeted drug therapy

• Immunotherapy