Cancer of the Small Bowel

For the latest information on cancer of the small bowel and current news on other colon cancer topics, please accept a free weekly subscription to the CCR Newsletter.

Cancer of the small bowel is less common than cancer of the large bowel. 52,000 people die from large bowel cancer per year compared to only about 1,100 from cancer of the small bowel. About 6,960 people will be diagnosed with the disease during this year and the rate is the same in women as in men.

The Small Intestine

The small bowel is also called the small intestine. It is a 15-30 foot long piece of intestine that attaches the stomach to the large colon. It is so long that one would expect it to have a greater chance of developing cancer, but as noted above, cancer of the small bowel is not very common.

The small bowel consists of three parts—the duodenum, the jejunum and the ileum that do similar but distinctly different jobs for digestion. For the most part, the job of the small bowel is to break down food and absorb it into the digestive system. Vitamins, minerals and food nutrients are all absorbed into the system by means of the small bowel.

Cause

Cancer of the small bowel has no known cause. There are some other diseases a person might have that would predispose the individual to getting small bowel cancer. These include inflammatory diseases like Crohn’s disease, Peutz-Jegher’s syndrome, intestinal polyposis syndrome and celiac sprue. If you have a decreased level of immune function, such as having AIDS, you are at risk for developing cancer of the small bowel.

The condition also seems to be related to alcoholism and heavy alcohol use as well as eating lots of sugar. Also, men who smoke cigarettes have a higher risk of cancer of the bowel as well as those who eat a lot of fired bacon, barbecued meats or fish and ham. These contain a lot of heterocyclic amines that can cause cancer of the small bowel.

Types of Small Bowel Cancer

There are basically four types of cancer of the small bowel:

Adenocarcinoma—this primarily begins in the duodenum and affects the lining of the intestinal wall. Males get this condition more often and get it around the ages 50-70. Crohn’s disease patients may get it at a younger age.
Sarcoma—this starts in the smooth muscle of the bowel and is most common in the ileum.
Carcinoid tumor—this occurs in the hormone-producing cells and generally occurs in the ileum or in the appendix. It can occur as a cancer of the small bowel in those as early as the 20’s.
Lymphoma—this tends to occur in the lymph tissue around the small bowel and often occurs in the jejunum. It is usually non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and occurs more often in those who were transplant patients or AIDS patients.

Symptoms

Some cancers of the small bowel are actually metastatic from other body areas. Rare types of small bowel cancer include leimyomas, fibromas or lipomas.

Symptoms of small bowel cancer are nonspecific and include cramps, abdominal pain, weight loss, diarrhea, black stools from digested blood, blood in the stools or jaundice. Rarely, bowel obstruction can occur from this type of cancer of the small bowel. This causes abdominal distention and severe abdominal pain.

The condition is diagnosed using stool samples for blood, colonoscopy to examine the duodenum and a CT scan of the abdomen or MRI scan of the abdomen to look for cancer of the small bowel. Both the CT scan and the MRI scan can pick up liver involvement in cancer. Barium swallow tests allow barium to pass through the intestinal tract and can pick up polypoid cancers. If a cancerous or suspicious lesion is found, then surgery is done to biopsy and likely remove the cancer of the small bowel.

Stages

There are four stages of cancer of the small bowel:

Stage I is localized cancer not spread past the bowel wall.
Stage II involves cancer that has spread outside of the wall of the bowel.
Stage III cancer means lymph nodes have become involved.
Stage IV means that other body areas, such as the liver or the lung have become involved with cancer.

Treatment

The treatment varies according to the type of cancer but basically starts with surgery to remove the bulk of the tumor. If the tumor is removed well, about 40-60 percent of people survive past 5 years. Sometimes parts of the stomach, pancreas and a large part of the small bowel need removal. Radiation therapy can be used to get rid of any residual tumor. Chemotherapy is also used to get rid of stray cells. More recently, immune stimulating drugs have been developed that help the body fight off the cancer on its own.

Written by Christine Traxler

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	Cancer of the Small Bowel For the latest information on cancer of the small bowel and current news on other colon cancer topics, please accept a free weekly subscription to the CCR Newsletter. Cancer of the small bowel is less common than cancer of the large bowel. 52,000 people die from large bowel cancer per year compared to only about 1,100 from cancer of the small bowel. About 6,960 people will be diagnosed with the disease during this year and the rate is the same in women as in men. The Small Intestine The small bowel is also called the small intestine. It is a 15-30 foot long piece of intestine that attaches the stomach to the large colon. It is so long that one would expect it to have a greater chance of developing cancer, but as noted above, cancer of the small bowel is not very common. The small bowel consists of three parts—the duodenum, the jejunum and the ileum that do similar but distinctly different jobs for digestion. For the most part, the job of the small bowel is to break down food and absorb it into the digestive system. Vitamins, minerals and food nutrients are all absorbed into the system by means of the small bowel. Cause Cancer of the small bowel has no known cause. There are some other diseases a person might have that would predispose the individual to getting small bowel cancer. These include inflammatory diseases like Crohn’s disease, Peutz-Jegher’s syndrome, intestinal polyposis syndrome and celiac sprue. If you have a decreased level of immune function, such as having AIDS, you are at risk for developing cancer of the small bowel. The condition also seems to be related to alcoholism and heavy alcohol use as well as eating lots of sugar. Also, men who smoke cigarettes have a higher risk of cancer of the bowel as well as those who eat a lot of fired bacon, barbecued meats or fish and ham. These contain a lot of heterocyclic amines that can cause cancer of the small bowel. Types of Small Bowel Cancer There are basically four types of cancer of the small bowel: Adenocarcinoma—this primarily begins in the duodenum and affects the lining of the intestinal wall. Males get this condition more often and get it around the ages 50-70. Crohn’s disease patients may get it at a younger age. Sarcoma—this starts in the smooth muscle of the bowel and is most common in the ileum. Carcinoid tumor—this occurs in the hormone-producing cells and generally occurs in the ileum or in the appendix. It can occur as a cancer of the small bowel in those as early as the 20’s. Lymphoma—this tends to occur in the lymph tissue around the small bowel and often occurs in the jejunum. It is usually non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and occurs more often in those who were transplant patients or AIDS patients. Symptoms Some cancers of the small bowel are actually metastatic from other body areas. Rare types of small bowel cancer include leimyomas, fibromas or lipomas. Symptoms of small bowel cancer are nonspecific and include cramps, abdominal pain, weight loss, diarrhea, black stools from digested blood, blood in the stools or jaundice. Rarely, bowel obstruction can occur from this type of cancer of the small bowel. This causes abdominal distention and severe abdominal pain. The condition is diagnosed using stool samples for blood, colonoscopy to examine the duodenum and a CT scan of the abdomen or MRI scan of the abdomen to look for cancer of the small bowel. Both the CT scan and the MRI scan can pick up liver involvement in cancer. Barium swallow tests allow barium to pass through the intestinal tract and can pick up polypoid cancers. If a cancerous or suspicious lesion is found, then surgery is done to biopsy and likely remove the cancer of the small bowel. Stages There are four stages of cancer of the small bowel: Stage I is localized cancer not spread past the bowel wall. Stage II involves cancer that has spread outside of the wall of the bowel. Stage III cancer means lymph nodes have become involved. Stage IV means that other body areas, such as the liver or the lung have become involved with cancer. Treatment The treatment varies according to the type of cancer but basically starts with surgery to remove the bulk of the tumor. If the tumor is removed well, about 40-60 percent of people survive past 5 years. Sometimes parts of the stomach, pancreas and a large part of the small bowel need removal. Radiation therapy can be used to get rid of any residual tumor. Chemotherapy is also used to get rid of stray cells. More recently, immune stimulating drugs have been developed that help the body fight off the cancer on its own. Written by Christine Traxler Related pages: Facts on Colon Cancer - Knowing the facts on colon cancer can save your life. Colon Cancer Stages - Colon Cancer Stages describes the stages of colon cancer from zero to four. With each stage, it explains the degree of seriousness and the relative ease or difficulty of cure depending on the stage. The page also describes the anatomy of the colon and explains what a polyp is and how it can cause... What is Cancer? - What is Cancer provides concrete information on what cancer actually is. It continues to explain what happens to cancer cells and how the cells can create a ‘mass’ called a tumor ,or even push its way through a... What Causes Colon Cancer? - What Causes Colon Cancer discusses the various causes of colon cancer, such as how cancer cells come about and what they are. In addition it also explores various possible origins of cancer. Within each cause it goes into brief detail of what this specific issue can do to harm your body and the risk factor... Best Cancer Hospitals - 10 Best Cancer Hospitals gives a list of 10 well respected hospitals in the U.S that specialize in treating cancer. Furthermore it gives advice on how to seek a doctor fit for you and your treatment. You are provided with valuable information on how to make your decision on which doctor will be a best fit for your particular cancer, also advising you to always get a second... Hospital Insurance - Hospital insurance issues discusses common insurance concerns. You are encouraged to ask your health insurance provider specific questions which are listed on this page. In addition the page gives guidance on how to... Women Colon Cancer Patients - Women Colon Cancer Patients discusses how most people automatically assume that male colon cancer patients outnumber women, but in actuality there are slightly more women diagnosed with colon cancer. The page continues to explain the benefits of a colonoscopy and encourages you to... Types of Polyps - Types of Polyps lists the most common polyps. It goes on to describe each polyp and how dangerous the polyp could be to your body. Being aware of the different polyps is vital for cancer prevention and to... Colonoscopy Risks - Colonoscopy risks are rare but significant. This page explains how the benefits outweigh the risks, and goes on to express how the risks should not prevent anyone from getting screened. A colonoscopy is a crucial procedure for anyone over the age of 50 or if... Small Intestine Cancer - Women Colon Cancer Patients discusses how most people automatically assume that male colon cancer patients outnumber women, but in actuality there are slightly more women diagnosed with colon cancer. The page continues to explain the benefits of a colonoscopy and encourages you to... Sigmoid Colon - This page describes the anatomy of the sigmoid colon. It explains the colon’s main function, which is to absorb water and minerals and make and eliminate feces. Sigmoid cancer starts in the inner layer of tissue in the wall of the colon and rectum. Some important prevention methods are to maintain a healthy diet and... Famous People With Colon Cancer - This page illustrates the fact that famous people get cancer too! A long list of famous people with colon cancer is provided. The page briefly talks about Katie Couric and her bold attempt to raise colon cancer awareness by... Famous People With Cancer - Famous people with Cancer answers a question we’ve all been dying to know which is, how do famous people with cancer get special medical care? The page gives us Mr. Josephs story and how he took action against the big fight called cancer. He was not famous but... Cancer Costs - This page gives advice on how to deal with high cancer costs. It explains how essential it is to find out exactly how much your treatments will cost you and what your insurance provider intends to cover. You are encouraged to talk to your employer or explore other options if needed such as... Cost of Chemotherapy - The High Cost of Chemotherapy page gives guidance for alternative options in support of patients who cannot afford the cost of their treatment. Statistics show that 12% of colon cancer patients spend over 25,000 dollars out of pocket and... Gardner Syndrome - - Gardner Syndrome is a genetic disease that causes a person to have extra growths called polyps. Usually polyps are not cancerous but with this disease the polyps are 100% cancerous. If Gardner Syndrome runs in your family it is critical that you get screened as early as 10 to 12 years of age. Gardner Syndrome can also be originated from... History of Colon Cancer - This page discusses how vital it is for one to know about the history of colon cancer, especially if you have a family history of colon cancer. If any of your direct ancestors have had colon cancer then you are at high risk. The page also talks about the history of colon cancer treatment and provides a list of alternative therapies. Alternative therapies have been effective for some but... Types of Colon Polyps - There are 4 primary types of colon polyps. The two most common types are adenomatous and hyperplastic polyps. Polyps are not always be cancerous, and if detected early they can be easily removed. Getting a colonoscopy is the best way to prevent polyps from becoming cancerous. Polyps occur in about 30 to... Colonoscopy Sedation - Colonoscopy sedation is effective with various drugs and sometimes hypnosis. Two common colonoscopy sedation drugs are Versed and Propofol. Versed is commonly used as an anti-anxiety drug, it causes you to go into a state of deep relaxation or sleep and also causes amnesia. Propofol is a more powerful drug and is mainly used with patients who take narcotics for pain, unfortunately not all... Colon Cancer Prognosis - Colon cancer prognosis can vary for each stage of colon cancer. The prognosis at this point is typically a five year survival rate of less than 5 %. But keep in mind that... Lynch Syndrome - Lynch syndrome is an inherited disease that increases the chances of getting cancer. If you have this disease it is imporatant that you get screened regularly. Some of the symptoms can include... Health Insurance for Cancer - Health insurance for cancer is an insurance personally tailored to your situation and is usually some combination of major medical and supplemental cancer insurance. Since major medical insurance isn't always enough it's... Polyps in Colon - This article talks about colon polyps, benign lesions on the colon that may or may not lead to cancer of the colon. Most polyps on the colon need to be removed on the chance that they could lead to cancer. Some families have members with multiple polyps on their colons. These families need careful follow-up and treatment of their polyps. Top Cancer Hospitals - If you’ve been recently diagnosed with cancer, you have a lot of decisions to make. You want to go to the very best place available to you for your cancer treatment. A top cancer hospital has specialists that are the best in their field of cancer care. If you have colon cancer... Colon Surgery - Colon surgery can be done to remove benign or cancerous lesions of the colon. Doctors can do laparoscopic surgery or open surgery, depending on the type of lesion to be removed. List of Hospitals - If you have cancer, you are probably scared and want a list of hospitals that might help you. This article will help you find that list of hospitals you need to make the right choices in your care. Cancer of the Small Bowel - Cancer of the small bowel is less common than cancer of the large bowel. 52,000 people die from large bowel cancer per year compared to only about 1100 from cancer of the small bowel. Online Nursing Programs - Learn more about colon cancer in nursing training programs. Causes of Tinnitus - Tinnitus is a side effect of chemotherapy. Other causes of tinnitus are explained here. Help for tinnitus is described here also. Tinnitus in Children - Tinnitus in children is a serious problem. It is the result of platinum based chemotherapy drugs. Help; is on the way with two new drugs being tested. Sounds of Tinnitus - The sounds of tinnitus can vary. The only cure is surgery for a tumor. Other remedies can help you cope with the noise. Pulsatile Tinnitus - Pulsating tinnitus can be caused by high blood pressure, a sinus infection, or a tumor. Remedies include prescription drugs, acoustic therapy and eardrops. Small Bowel Cancer - Small bowel cancer starts in the lining of the small bowel or small intestine. Cells begin to grow out of control and change into a tumor. The tumor may be noncancerous and can cause obstruction of the small bowel or it can be cancerous and... Aspirin and Tinnitus - Take aspirin and tinnitus might follow. There are remedies for tinnitus. You will read about them on this web page. Intestinal Cancer - Intestinal cancer is staged similar to colon cancer with stage I being small, well localized cancer and stage IV being metastatic disease. Doctors can determine the stage of the cancer at the time surgery is performed to remove the tumor and lymph... Back to top	Search CCR This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. Free Subscription First Name Email Get the latest news on colon cancer delivered to your inbox each week! Click here to read our Privacy Policy. eBOOK AVAILABLE NOW! eBOOK AVAILABLE NOW! eBOOK AVAILABLE NOW! eBOOK AVAILABLE NOW!
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