Cancer of the Small Intestine

• Cancer of the Small Intestine Introduction
• Risk Factors
• Cancer of the Small Intestine Symptoms
• Diagnosis
• Cancer of the Small Intestine Treatment
• Prognosis
• Prevention
• Multimedia
• Synonyms and Keywords
• References
• Authors and Editors

Cancer of the Small Intestine Introduction

The small intestine, or small bowel, lies between the stomach and the colon. The small intestine is about 6 m (20 ft) long. Its primary function is to digest and absorb nutrients. The small intestine makes up more than 70% of the length and 90% of the surface area of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

The most common cancerous (malignant) tumors of the small bowel include adenocarcinoma, lymphoma, sarcoma, and carcinoids.

• In industrialized countries, adenocarcinomas occur most often.



• In developing countries, lymphomas are much more common.



• All these tumors have the potential to invade the bowel wall, spread into adjoining lymph nodes, and move to distant organs (metastasize).