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What Is Intestine Cancer?
Intestine cancer is a rare disease where cells in the tissue of the small intestine change. They grow out of control and can form a mass or tumor. The small intestine (also called “small bowel”) connects your stomach to your large intestine. Its main job is to break down and absorb food, fats, vitamins, and other substances your body needs. If you have this type of cancer, tumor cells may block the small intestine.What are the types of Intestine cancer?
There are five types of intestine cancer:- Adenocarcinomas. These make up an estimated 30% to 40% of cases. Adenocarcinoma starts in the lining of the small intestine.
- Sarcoma. Cancerous cells develop in the soft tissue of the small intestine.
- Carcinoid tumors. These slow-growing cancers often take root in the lower section of the small intestine. They might also affect your appendix or rectum. These tumors give off large amounts of certain body chemicals, like serotonin.
- Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). This is a rare form of small intestine cancer. More than half of them start in the stomach. Not all GISTs are cancerous.
- Intestinal lymphomas. Lymphoma is cancer that begins in the lymph nodes. People who develop them often have a type of immunodeficiency disorder.
What are the symptoms of Intestine Cancer?
See your doctor if you notice any of the following signs, which could be caused by small intestine cancer or something else:- Pain or cramps in the middle of your stomach
- Losing weight for no known reason
- A lump in your abdomen
- Blood in your stool
What Are the Causes of Intestine Cancer?
Doctors aren’t sure why people develop it. But they do know that several things can increase your chances of getting the disease:- How old you are (average age at diagnosis is 60)
- Your sex (slightly higher risk in men)
- Genetics (some disorders you’re born with raising the odds)
- Smoking and alcohol use
- High-fat diet
- Living or working near large quantities of some chemicals, like phenoxy acetic acid
- Other conditions that affect your gut, like Crohn’s, colon cancer, or celiac disease
- Lymphedema (damage to the vessels that connect to the lymph nodes)
