Did you know that the small intestine is the innermost part of the gut and measures about 20 feet long? The small intestine is where the body absorbs most of the nutrients from the food we eat, and is also where food matter is mixed with the bile from the liver and the pancreatic enzymes.
Foods are processed in the small intestine before moving on to the large intestine in the digestive system. The small intestine is composed of three sections:
1. The first segment of the small intestine is the duodenum, which is located closest to the stomach.
2. The Jejunum: The small intestine’s middle portion.
3. The Ileum: The segment that joins to the large intestine is in the bottom section.
Small colon cancer tumors takes place when a healthy and balanced cells in the cellular lining of the small digestive tract change as well as and also expand in an uncontrolled a rampant fashion, developing a mass called tumour. These masses can be malignant or benign. Malignancy implies, that these masses can spread to infect other parts of the body and also causes harm injury to different physical body organ systems. These modifications take a very long time to develop in many cases, and both hereditary and as well as environmental ecological factors can contribute to such change.
It can be damaged by drinking too many alcoholic beverages, eating too much food, or having bacterial or viral infections. Cigarette smoking is also a risk factor for small intestine cancer. The small intestine is also vulnerable to cancers, which are not as common as large intestine cancers. These cancers include carcinoid tumors, lymphoma, and leiomyo sarcoma.
Small bowel cancer is a disease that is often diagnosed late because it is difficult to detect. As a result, the patient may experience complications and the tumor will grow. These symptoms are often overlooked and, as a result, the disease becomes more advanced.
The Types Of Cancer Found In The Small Intestine Cancer
adenocarcinoma
sarcoma
carcinoid tumors
gastrointestinal stromal tumor and
lymphoma
Jaundice
Flushed Skin
The types of cancer found in the small intestine are adenocarcinoma, sarcoma, carcinoid tumors, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, and lymphoma. This summary discusses adenocarcinoma and leiomyosarcoma (a type of sarcoma).
The most prevalent form of small intestinal cancer, adenocarcinoma, begins in glandular cells that line the gut. The area of the small intestine closest to the stomach is where most of these tumors develop. They might expand and obstruct the intestine. The smooth muscle cells of the small intestine are where leiomyosarcoma begins. The area of the small intestine closest to the big intestine is where most of these cancers develop
In connective tissues like your cartilage or muscle, sarcomas begin. A gastrointestinal stromal tumour is the most typical form of sarcoma that impacts your small intestine (GIST). Leiomyosarcomas were the previous name for these malignancies.
Cells called lymphocytes are where lymphoma begins. Your lymphatic system contains lymphocytes, a particular category of white blood cell. Your immune system, which includes your lymphatic system, works to protect your body from pathogens and aberrant cells that could make you ill.
The most frequent symptoms of small bowel cancer can be seen are
abdominal pain
abdominal bloating, and
feeling full even after eating a small amount, loss of appetite,
blood in poo, and
Unintentional weight loss.
RISK FACTORS OF SMALL INTESTINE CANCER
There are several risk factors for small bowel cancer. Some of these factors include:
A family passed on genetic mutations: Your chance of developing small bowel cancer and other malignancies may increase if you inherit certain gene mutations from your parents. Examples include Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, Lynch syndrome, and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).
Other different bowel illnesses: Small bowel cancer risk may be raised by additional gastrointestinal disorders such Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and celiac disease.
Compromised immune system: Your chance of developing small bowel cancer may be higher if your body’s immune system is less capable of defending against infections. Examples include persons who have HIV infection and those who use anti-rejection drugs after obtaining an organ transplant.
Small Intestine cancer is a challenging cancer and required various scans for detection of it. And after that only any treatment is selected. Some of the scans and tests are:
Blood test specially CBC (complete blood count)
Endoscopy
C T Scan
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Abdominal X Ray
Barium X Ray
DIAGNOSIS OF SMALL INTESTINE CANCER
The goal of treatment for small intestine cancer is to stop the growth of the tumor, reduce its size if possible, and prevent it from coming back.
Treatment options vary depending on your type of cancer and how far it has spread within your body.
If you have small bowel cancer, your doctor will perform an exam and take biopsies to determine if it’s early or advanced. For early stage disease, surgery may be required to remove some tumors.
If your doctor doesn’t remove all of your cancerous cells with surgery, radiation therapy may be used after surgery to kill any outstanding cancer cells. Chemotherapy may also be used to treat advanced cases of small bowel cancer that aren’t treated by surgery.
Somatostatin analogues may be suggested by your doctor to treat small intestine carcinoid tumours. These drugs prevent your body from producing excessive amounts of hormones.
Whereas targeted therapy can also be used to find any weaknesses in cancer cells. And then immunotherapy to boost the immune system of body to fight the cancer cells.
The most popular form of treatment for small intestinal cancer is surgery. The cancerous portion of the small intestine may be removed by your surgeon. Or they might perform a “bypass” operation to allow food to pass around a tumour that cannot be removed.
Radiation therapy may still be advised even if your surgeon removes the whole small intestine after surgery. This destroys cancer cells by utilising high-energy X-rays.
Chemotherapy destroys cancer cells by rendering them ill or by preventing their growth. Chemotherapy can be administered orally or through an IV tube, but most patients use pills.
Chemotherapy is usually given once a day for four or five days, every week for three weeks, every two weeks for three months and then once a month for at least four months after treatment ends.
