Small Intestine Cancer, also known as Small Bowel Cancer, is an uncommon type of cancer that occurs in the small intestine. Your small intestine, which is also called the small bowel, is a long tube that carries digested food between your stomach and your large intestine (colon). The small intestine is responsible for digesting and absorbing nutrients from the foods you eat. It produces hormones that help with digestion. The small intestine also plays a role in your body's germ-fighting immune system, as it contains cells that fight bacteria and viruses that enter your body through your mouth.

The small bowel is divided into 3 parts:

• The duodenum- The part closest to the stomach.
• The jejunum- The middle portion.
• The ileum- The bottom section, which connects to the large intestine, or colon.

The small bowel is approximately 15 feet long, folds many times to fit inside the abdomen, and makes up about 3/4 of the digestive system.

There are five main types of small bowel cancer:

Adenocarcinoma- Adenocarcinoma is the most common type of small bowel cancer, usually occurring in the duodenum or jejunum. Adenocarcinoma begins in the gland cells of the small bowel. This guide focuses on this type of small bowel cancer.

Sarcoma- Small bowel sarcoma is generally a leiomyosarcoma, which is a tumor that arises in the muscle tissue that makes up part of the intestine. This type of tumor most often occurs in the ileum. Learn more about sarcoma.

Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)- GIST is an uncommon tumor that is believed to start in cells found in the walls of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, called interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC). GIST belongs to a group of cancers called soft-tissue sarcomas. Learn more about gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

Neuroendocrine Tumor- Neuroendocrine tumors start in the hormone-producing cells of various organs and generally occur in the ileum. These can also be called a carcinoid tumor. Learn more about neuroendocrine tumors.

Lymphoma- Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymph system, which is part of the body’s immune system. Lymphoma that occurs in the small bowel usually occurs in the jejunum or ileum and is most commonly non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Symptoms:

The symptoms of small intestine cancers are often vague and can have other, more common causes. Unfortunately, this means that it’s often at least several months from the time symptoms start until the cancer is diagnosed.

Some of the more common symptoms of small intestine cancer are:

• Pain in the belly (abdomen)
• Nausea and vomiting
• Weight loss (without trying)
• Weakness and feeling tired (fatigue)
• Dark-colored stools (from bleeding into the intestine)
• Low red blood cell counts (anemia)
• Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)

Often, the first symptom is pain in the stomach area. This pain is often crampy and may not be constant. For example, it may start or get worse after you eat. As the tumor gets larger, it can slow the passage of digested food through the intestine. This can lead to increased pain. If the tumor gets large enough, it can cause an obstruction, in which the intestine is completely blocked and nothing can move through. This leads to pain with severe nausea and vomiting.

Diagnosis:
Tests to detect, diagnose and stage small intestine cancer are:

• Physical Exam
• Imaging Test like- MRI, CT Scan, X-Ray and Endoscopy
• Blood Tests
• Liver Function Test
• Biopsy
• Laparotomy

Treatment of Small Intestine Cancer

Surgery

Chemotherapy

Radiation Therapy

Immunotherapy

Prevention

If you're interested in reducing your risk of cancer in general, it may help to:

▪ Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains contain vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants, which may help reduce your risk of cancer and other diseases. Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables so that you get an array of vitamins and nutrients.

▪ Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. If you choose to drink alcohol, limit the amount of alcohol you drink to no more than one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than age 65, and up to two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger.

▪ Quit smoking.

▪ Exercise most days of the week. Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days. If you've been inactive, start slowly and build up gradually to 30 minutes. Also, talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program.

▪ Maintain a healthy weight. If you are at a healthy weight, work to maintain your weight by combining a healthy diet with daily exercise. If you need to lose weight, ask your doctor about healthy ways to achieve your goal. Aim to lose weight slowly by increasing the amount of exercise you get and reducing the number of calories you eat.