Small intestine cancer
Small intestine cancer is a cancer of the small intestine. It is relatively rare compared to other gastrointestinal malignancies such as gastric cancer (stomach cancer) and colorectal cancer.
Small intestine cancer | |
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Other names | Small bowel cancer, cancer of the small bowel |
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Picture of a carcinoid tumour that encroaches into lumen of the small bowel. Pathology specimen. The prominent folds are plicae circulares, a characteristic of small bowel. | |
Specialty | Gastroenterology, general surgery, oncology |
Symptoms | vomiting blood, blood in the stool |
Small intestine cancer can be subdivided into duodenal cancer (the first part of the small intestine) and cancer of the jejunum and ileum (the later two parts of the small intestine). Duodenal cancer has more in common with stomach cancer, while cancer of the jejunum and ileum have more in common with colorectal cancer. Five-year survival rates are 65%.[1]
Histopathologic types
Several different subtypes of small intestine cancer exist. These include:
- Adenocarcinoma
- Gastrointestinal stromal tumor
- Lymphoma
- Carcinoid tumors of the midgut
- Adenocarcinoma
- Carcinoid
Risk factors

Risk factors for small intestine cancer include:[3][4]
- Crohn's disease
- Celiac disease
- Radiation exposure
- Hereditary gastrointestinal cancer syndromes: familial adenomatous polyposis, hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer, Peutz–Jeghers syndrome
- Males are 25% more likely to develop the disease
Benign tumours and conditions that may be mistaken for cancer of the small bowel:
Additional images
References
- "SEER Stat Fact Sheets: Small Intestine Cancer". NCI. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
- Qubaiah, O.; Devesa, S. S.; Platz, C. E.; Huycke, M. M.; Dores, G. M. (2010). "Small Intestinal Cancer: a Population-Based Study of Incidence and Survival Patterns in the United States, 1992 to 2006". Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. 19 (8): 1908–1918. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-10-0328. ISSN 1055-9965. PMC 2919612. PMID 20647399.
- Delaunoit T, Neczyporenko F, Limburg PJ, Erlichman C (March 2005). "Pathogenesis and risk factors of small bowel adenocarcinoma: a colorectal cancer sibling?". Am. J. Gastroenterol. 100 (3): 703–10. PMID 15743371.
- Chen AC, Neugut AI. Malignant Neoplasms of the Small Intestine. eMedicine.com. URL: http://www.emedicine.com/MED/topic2651.htm. Accessed on: June 2, 2006.