subject: Small Intestine Cancer [print this page] Small intestine is that part of body which helps in digesting the food and is a long tube for connecting stomach and large intestine. The small intestine is divided into three parts namely duodenum, jejunum and ileum which look similar in appearance but are significantly different in functionality. Cancer can occur in each of these sections and is known by the name of that particular section. Small intestine cancer is rare but can happen due to history of having high fat diet or having a family history of celiac disease, crohns disease. The cancer of small intestine is known as small bowel cancer or cancer of the small bowel. The cancer starts in the small intestine when there is uncontrollable growth of cells in the intestine. Small intestinal cancers are of four types: carcinoid tumors, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, lymphomas, and adenocarcinoma.
There are many factors involved which determine the life of a person dealing with this cancer such as size of the tumor, the location of tumor, type of tumor, the growth rate of tumor and its staging. However, if the cancer is detected at an early stage, it increases the chances of survival for an individual but how effective the treatment is differs from a person to a person. Although, these tumors takes a long time to develop and can sometimes even pass on to other body parts. The cancerous tumors are generally developed due to genetic and environmental factors.
The symptoms associated with small intestine cancer are general like nausea, appetite loss and there are other serious symptoms to be taken care of such as weight loss, anemia, blood loss, vomiting and jaundice. The chances of a person to survive are slim if someones immune system becomes weak or the person is suffering from small intestine lymphoma. The survival becomes difficult if the cancer has spread outside the small intestine.
There are various risk factors involved which increase an individuals chances of getting diagnosed with this type of cancer. If there is a regular intake of high fat food or smoked foods it might increase the chances of cancer. Gluten protein which is found in barley, rye, wheat has a negative effect on the lining of small intestine in persons with celiac disease increases the risk factor.
It is always better to consult your doctor and have an open discussion and if someone sees any kind of symptoms which could be a cause of cancer. So, dont lose any hope as there are chances that you might survive the cancer with a little will power.
