Gastrointestinal cancer, or cancer of the digestive system, includes cancers of the esophagus, gallbladder, liver, pancreas, stomach, small intestine, large intestine (colon) and rectum. Some form of gastrointestinal cancer is newly diagnosed in more than 250,000 Americans annually. This figure amounts to about 20 percent of all newly diagnosed cancers every year.
While the cause of many types of gastrointestinal cancers is unknown, some types of cancers have “lifestyle” risk factors. These risk factors include excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, and diets high in animal fat and/or salted, cured or processed meats, such as bacon, ham and salami.
Genetics and family history notwithstanding, other risk factors for gastrointestinal cancers include obesity, chronic pancreatitis and increasing age.
In general, cancer begins when an error (mutation) occurs in a cell’s DNA. The mutation causes the cell to grow and divide at a rapid rate and to continue living when normal cells would die. The accumulating cancerous cells form a tumor that can invade nearby structures. The cancer cells can break off from the tumor and spread throughout the body (metastisis).
How gastrointestinal cancer is diagnosed depends on what type of cancer is suspected. Lab tests, imaging tests, biopsies, colonoscopy and endoscopy all are methods of diagnosing gastrointestinal cancers.
Once cancer is confirmed, the stage (how far the cancer has advanced) is then determined and a treatment plan is designed.
Treatment for gastrointestinal cancer depends on the type of cancer, the stage, and other general health factors. The most commonly used treatment method is surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.
While symptoms of gastrointestinal cancer also vary with the type of cancer, common symptoms to watch for include:
- Abdominal pain, tenderness, or discomfort.
- Change in bowel habits, such as frequency or consistency or shape.
- Rectal bleeding or blood in stool.
- Bloating.
- Loss of appetite.
- Nausea/vomiting.
- Unintentional weight loss.
- Fatigue.
Cooper University Hospital surgical oncologist Francis R. Spitz, M.D., Deputy Director of the Cooper Cancer Institute, notes that lifestyle modifications could help reduce your risk of getting gastrointestinal cancer. He offers this advice:
Drink alcohol in moderation.
A high alcohol intake is associated with an increased risk of cancers of the esophagus, pancreas, liver and bowel.
Avoid smoking.
Smoking doubles the risk for cancer of the pancreas and is associated with increased risk for cancer of the esophagus when combined with high alcohol intake.
Eat plenty of green vegetables and fruits.
A high intake of green vegetables is associated with a reduced risk for bowel cancer, and a high vitamin C intake (found in fruits and green vegetables) is associated with reduced risk for stomach cancer.
Avoid preserved or burnt meats, and limit red meats.
Salted and smoked meats are associated with a high risk of stomach cancer, probably due to their high content of nitrates, which, in the stomach, form highly carcinogenic nitroso-amines. Burnt meats have been found to be linked with bowel cancer because of their high content of carcinogenic cyclic amines. A high intake of red meats is particularly associated with increased risk of bowel cancer.
Maintain a normal weight.
Obesity carries an increased risk of bowel cancer. It also increases the risk of diabetes, which is associated with a modestly increased risk of pancreatic cancer.
Exercise regularly.
Regular physical activity is linked with a reduced risk for bowel cancer, regardless of body weight.
Take preventative steps.
Screening tests, such as endoscopy and colonoscopy, can detect gastrointestinal cancers early, even before symptoms occur. They also can detect some precancerous conditions, which can be easily treated at the time of the screening.