Gastrointestinal Cancer
Gastrointestinal cancer usually begins in the mucus-producing cells that line the stomach. This type of cancer is called adenocarcinoma.For the past several decades, rates of cancer in the main part of the stomach (stomach body) have been falling worldwide. During the same period, cancer in the area where the top part of the stomach (cardia) meets the lower end of the swallowing tube (esophagus) has become much more common. This area of the stomach is called the gastroesophageal junction.
Gastro-Intestinal (GI) cancer is a term for the group of cancers that affect the digestive system. This includes cancers of the oesophagus, gallbladder & biliary tract, liver, pancreas, stomach, small intestine, bowel (large intestine or colon and rectum), and anus.
Nearly everyone has had a stomachache at some point due to different reasons. It generally is not taken seriously because its quite common. But, on certain occasions, a stomach ache can be indicative of a far more serious problem - digestive track complications, colitis and even cancer.
Symptoms Of GI Cancer
- Heartburn or indigestion
- Poor appetite
- Swelling or fluid build-up in the abdomen
- Abdominal (belly) pain
- Nausea & Vomiting
- Weight loss (without trying)
- A sense of fullness in the upper abdomen after eating a small meal
Risk Factor of GI Cancer
- Stomach polyps
- Long-term stomach inflammation
- A diet high in salty and smoked foods
- Smoking
- Stomach polyps
- Pernicious Anemia
- FA diet low in fruits and vegetables
- Family history of Stomach cancer
Stages of GI Cancer
- Stage I: Cancer has grown into the inner layer of the wall of the stomach
- Stage II: Cancer has grown into the outer muscular layers of the wall of the stomach
- Stage III:Cancer has grown through all of the layers of the muscle into the connective tissue outside the stomach and has grown into nearby organs or structures
- Stage IV: Cancer has spread to the liver and to the inside of the abdomen. Less commonly, it can also spread to the lungs.
