Small bowel cancers are classified as follows:
- Adenocarcinoma
- Carcinoid tumours and paraganglioma are examples of neuroendocrine tumours.
- Lymphoma Sarcoma (gastrointestinal stromal tumour) (GIST)
- The best treatment options for you are determined by the type of small bowel cancer you have and its stage.
Symptoms
Small bowel cancer signs and symptoms include:
- Pain in the abdomen.
- Losing weight without making an effort.
- Skin yellowing and yellowing of the eyes' whites (jaundice).
- Blood in the stool, which may be red or black in colour.
- Feeling unusually tired or weak.
- Diarrhea with water.
- Nausea.
- Flushing of the skin.
- Vomiting.
Causes
Most small bowel cancers are caused by unknown factors, according to doctors.
Small bowel cancer develops when healthy cells in the bowel develop changes (mutations) in their DNA. A cell's DNA contains instructions that tell the cell what to do.
Risk elements
The following factors may increase the risk of small bowel cancer:
- Mutations in genes are passed down through families. Certain inherited gene mutations can increase your chances of developing small bowel cancer and other cancers . Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome are a few examples.
- Complications.
- Small bowel cancer can result in complications such as:
Prevention
- Because small bowel cancer is so rare, it's unclear what might help reduce the risk. If you want to lower your overall risk of cancer, you should do the following:
- Consume a wide range of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains may help reduce your risk of cancer and other diseases. Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables to ensure that you are getting a wide range of vitamins and nutrients.
- Drink alcohol sparingly, if at all.
- Quit smoking. Consult your doctor about quitting methods that may be suitable for you.