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).
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Malignant Neoplasms of the Small Intestine »
Malignant neoplasms of the small bowel are among the rarest types of cancer, accounting for only 2% of all GI cancers.
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