Features of small intestine cancer and its treatment. How small intestine cancer progresses and what gives a chance for survival Colon and small intestine cancer

Small intestine cancer: signs and symptoms, diagnosis of the disease.

Small intestine cancer - signs and symptoms. Cancer diagnosis

According to statistics, small intestine cancer is less common than other types of malignant neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract. Most people suffering from this disease are men over 60 years of age. In women, tumors located in this part of the intestine are diagnosed much less frequently.

What is small intestine cancer

A malignant tumor of the small intestine is considered one of the dangerous types of cancer due to extremely unfavorable prognosis for recovery and even a five-year survival. It is distinguished from others by the location of the tumor - it is located in one of the three sections of the small intestine:

• in the ileum;
• in the duodenum;
• in the small intestine.

The largest proportion of tumors in this part of the intestine is due to duodenal cancer (about more than half of all cases). A little less often, jejunal cancer is diagnosed (about a third of all cases). The rarest type of small intestine cancer is ileum cancer.

In the total number of oncological diseases of the digestive tract, small intestine cancer, the symptoms of which will be discussed below, accounts for no more than 4% of cases.

Why does small intestine cancer occur?

The exact causes of oncological formations in the small intestine have not yet been clarified. However, reliable data confirm that this disease in most patients develops against the background of chronic pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as inflammatory processes occurring in various parts of the intestine. Experts suggest that small intestine cancer may occur due to the following ailments:

• duodenitis;
• colitis;
• enteritis;
• peptic ulcer;
• Crohn's disease;
• celiac disease;
• Peutz-Jeghers syndrome;
• benign formations in the intestine;
• genetic pathologies;
• malignant neoplasms of other internal organs.

The risk of getting a diagnosis increases with bad habits, malnutrition (when eating red meat, spicy, fatty and smoked foods and not having enough vegetables and fruits in the menu - sources of dietary fiber). Radioactive radiation can also provoke the transformation of cells into cancer cells.

Types of small intestine cancer

To classify the oncology of the small intestine, several signs inherent in tumors are used:

1. The nature of the growth of cancer cells.
2. Cellular structure of a cancerous tumor.

According to the nature of growth, malignant tumors are divided into exophytic and endophytic. Both one and the other type of oncology has a number of features:

• On closer inspection, exophytic small bowel cancer, with signs and symptoms that are diagnosed and treated differently from endophytic, is a tumor that grows towards the inside of the intestine. Outwardly, they resemble mushrooms (with or without a stalk), plaques or polyps, and have well-defined borders and a bumpy surface. This form most often causes intestinal obstruction.
• Endophytic cancer of the small intestine is a tumor without a well-defined border, and looks like a blurry formation. A tumor of this type penetrates into all layers of the intestine through the lymphatic network, and most often causes intestinal perforation and profuse bleeding.

On the basis of the structure of cells, small intestine cancer is divided into the following types:

• adenocarcinoma - formations localized on the glandular tissues in the area of ​​​​the duodenal papilla of the duodenum 12 (in other parts of the small intestine, this type of tumor is very rare);
• carcinoid - tumors formed from epithelial tissues, and, in addition to the ileum, can occur in other parts of the small and large intestines;
• lymphoma - the rarest type of tumor of the small intestine, which is represented by lymphogranulomatosis and a pathology known as Hodgkin's disease;
• leiomysarcoma - tumors that grow to large sizes, which are easily palpated through the abdominal wall and often lead to perforation of the intestines.

Stages of small bowel cancer

Cancer of the small intestine, as well as other parts of it, goes through 4 stages in its development:

1. The first stage - the diameter of the tumor is less than 20 mm. Symptoms are absent or very mild. The body of the tumor is localized on the wall of the small intestine, the process of metastasis is absent.
2. The second stage - the tumor increases in size slightly. Symptoms are more pronounced due to the fact that the neoplasm grows into adjacent tissues and / or protrudes into the intestinal lumen. metastases are absent.
3. The third stage - the formation greatly increases in size and begins to metastasize to the lymph nodes located in close proximity to the tumor. The symptoms are severe.
4. The fourth stage - the tumor actively grows into neighboring organs, and also gives numerous metastases in the liver, pancreas, genitourinary system, and lungs. Symptoms become extremely severe.

Symptoms of small intestine cancer

It is very difficult at first to recognize small intestine cancer, the symptoms of which vary depending on the stage of the disease, because this type of disease is characterized by a complete absence of symptoms in the initial stages of the development of the pathological process. Significant signs appear only when the tumor leads to the appearance of ulcers or narrows the intestinal lumen.

Symptoms of early stage cancer:

• nausea and belching;
• diarrhea or constipation;
• heaviness in the stomach;
• bloating;
• spasmodic abdominal pain.

As the tumor grows, the clinical picture expands, and difficulties with emptying due to false urge to defecate and / or partial or complete intestinal obstruction, intestinal bleeding and severe abdominal pain are added to the voiced symptoms.

Along with this, patients have a number of common symptoms:

• growing weakness;
• fatigue and general ailments;
• loss of appetite or an aversion to food;
• sudden weight loss;
• anemia and resulting pallor of the skin and mucous membranes;
• dizziness;
• persistent increase in body temperature to subfebrile values.

Diagnosis of cancer of the small intestine

The most informative methods by which small intestine cancer can be detected are signs and symptoms, diagnostics using modern technologies. The first ones make it possible to suspect oncology and suggest the location of the tumor. Diagnostics using special equipment helps to reliably locate a malignant tumor, determine its type and structure, degree of development, and much more.

The most informative methods are:

• screening test for intestinal cancer (feces for occult blood - Colon View immunochemical test) helps to detect oncology at an early stage, since with cancer of the small intestine, pronounced blood in the feces appears only with heavy bleeding, but most often bleeding is in small quantities, invisible eye, so the analysis of occult blood in the feces, allows you to suspect the disease;
• fibrogastroduodenoscopy;
• contrast fluoroscopy;
• irrigoscopy;
• colonoscopy;
• histological examination of tumor samples;
• Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity;
• MCT of the abdomen and others (it is better to write simply CT of the abdomen)

A number of additional laboratory tests of blood and urine are also carried out to determine specific antigens, indican and tumor markers in the body.

Small bowel cancer treatment

The most effective treatment for small bowel cancer is surgical excision of the tumor. During the procedure, the affected parts of the intestine and other organs (in whole or in part) can be removed - the gallbladder, pancreas, part of the stomach.

Additionally, chemotherapy may be used. In some cases, this method plays a leading role (when the tumor is inoperable). In addition, the treatment of small intestine cancer can be carried out with the use of radiation therapy.

In the postoperative period, the patient is prescribed a combined drug treatment and chemotherapy for the final elimination of cancer cells. In most cases, recovery or stable remission requires several such courses.

Prevention of small intestine cancer

It is impossible to reduce the risk of small intestine cancer to an absolute minimum, but there are a number of preventive measures that help avoid the formation of tumors in the intestine:

• Regularly undergo preventive examinations in a specialized clinic.
• Adhere to the principles of a healthy lifestyle and nutrition.
• In time and to the end to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Annual fecal occult blood test (Colon View test, which can reliably detect occult blood in the stool and detect bowel cancer at an early stage).
• Seek medical attention if you experience any disturbing symptoms from the digestive system.

You can complete the last step right now. At the bottom of the article there is a form for contacting our specialists - gastroenterologists and proctologists. They are available to answer any questions you may have about the symptoms and manifestations of small bowel cancer. To do this, just fill out the appropriate form and indicate your email address.

Small intestine cancer is a very dangerous disease that most often affects older (over sixty) men. According to medical statistics, more cases are registered in the countries of the Central Asian region.

concept

Cancer of the small intestine is an ailment in which malignant neoplasms affect the tissues of one of its three sections: the ileum, duodenum, or jejunum.

Most often (almost half of the cases) the tumor is localized in the tissues of the duodenum, the second place (30%) in terms of frequency of lesions is the jejunum, and only a fifth of patients suffer from oncology of the ileum.

In the general structure of oncological diseases, this disease accounts for no more than 4% of cases.

Types of neoplasms

The nature of the growth of cancerous tumors of the small intestine allows us to divide them into two types:

• Exophytic, growing inside the intestinal lumen. At the initial stage of the pathological process, the tumor causes stagnation of the physiological contents of the affected parts of the small intestine (stasis), which eventually turns into intestinal obstruction. For exophytic tumors, outwardly resembling plaques, polyps or fungi, the presence of well-defined structured boundaries is characteristic. With ulceration of tumors of the exophytic type, they become saucer-shaped.
• Endophytic (infiltrative), considered more malignant and dangerous. Tumors of this type do not have clear boundaries. Spreading along the walls of the affected intestine, they affect its membranes in layers and penetrate into neighboring and distant organs through a network of lymphatic vessels. A tumor of this type can lead to perforation of the intestinal wall and bleeding.

The histological structure of cancerous tumors of the small intestine is the basis for dividing them into:

• : Tumors arising from glandular tissues. The most common localization of these rather rare neoplasms is the region of the large duodenal papilla of the duodenum.
• : this type of malignant neoplasms, formed from epithelial cells, can be localized in any part of the small intestine. Most often it is found in the appendix, ileum and rectum.
• : a fairly rare type of small intestine cancer, represented by lymphogranulomatosis and Hodgkin's disease.
• Leiomyosarcomas: This type of tumor is so large that it can be easily palpated through the abdominal wall. The large size of the tumor provokes intestinal obstruction, ending in and.

The reasons

Since the majority of patients with small intestine cancer developed against the background of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and inflammatory processes occurring in different parts of the small intestine, it can be assumed that the presence of:

• Peutz-Jeghers syndrome;
• genetic abnormalities;
• benign neoplasms in the intestine;
• actively metastasizing malignant tumors of other organs.

Predisposing factors also include:

• addiction to smoking and drinking;
• eating smoked, fatty, fried foods and the abuse of red meat;
• exposure to radioactive radiation.

The probable reason that a cancer tumor most often affects the tissues of the duodenum is that, as the initial section of the small intestine, it first comes into contact with carcinogens contained in food, bile and pancreatic juice secreted by the pancreas.

Clinical manifestations of the disease

A cancerous tumor of the small intestine at first does not manifest itself. The first symptomatology appears only after the pathological process leads to ulceration of the tumor or to narrowing of the lumen of the affected intestine.

Symptoms in the early stages

The first symptoms of small intestine cancer are characterized by a whole range of dyspeptic disorders:

• constant;
• vomiting;
• bloating;
• spastic pain in the epigastric region or in the navel.

In addition, in the initial stages of the disease, patients experience:

• the presence of frequent loose stools with tenesmus (false painful urge to defecate) and abundant mucus, as well as a constant alternation of constipation and diarrhea;
• varying degrees of intestinal obstruction;
• pain during defecation.

General symptoms

General symptoms are characterized by:

• the appearance of growing weakness;
• constant malaise;
• severe fatigue;
• loss of appetite;
• a sharp decrease in body weight;
• a decrease in the amount of protein in the blood plasma;
• the development of anemia;
• poverty of the skin and mucous membranes lining the oral and nasal cavities;
• frequent headaches and dizziness;
• persistent increase in body temperature (up to subfebrile values).

Signs of small bowel cancer in women and men

In the initial stages, small intestine cancer in men and women develops almost the same way. Some difference in symptoms appears at the time of progression of the tumor process and its spread to neighboring organs.

When a tumor grows into the tissues of neighboring organs in women, the tissues of the vagina are primarily affected, in men the prostate suffers. When the pathological process captures the rectum and anal canal, patients of both sexes experience severe pain that spreads to the anus, tailbone, sacrum and lower back.

In men, there are difficulties associated with the process of urination. This means that a malignant neoplasm of the intestine, having reached the bladder, begins to germinate in its tissue.

This process is accompanied by a significant increase in temperature and the development of an infection of the urethra (ascending type).

Degrees

Metastasis

Colon cancer most often metastasizes to:

• peritoneum;
• ovaries;
• abdominal organs;
• pancreas;
• adrenal glands;
• bladder;
• pelvic organs;
• located in the retroperitoneal space.

How to investigate?

The choice for detection of cancerous tumors of the small intestine depends on the localization of the pathological process.

• Examination of the duodenum is best done with and.
• Diagnosing the condition of the ileum will give the best results when using barium enema and colonoscopy.
• With the help of contrast radiography (barium passage method) in the lumen of the examined intestine, the presence of obstacles and areas of stenosis that impede the movement of a suspension of barium sulfate is revealed.

During each endoscopic examination, tumor tissue samples are taken for subsequent laboratory examination to confirm the diagnosis.

Procedures help to identify the presence of metastases and confirm the fact of the germination of a malignant formation:

• internal organs of the abdominal cavity;
• multislice computed tomography;
• bone tissue;
• chest x-ray;
• laparoscopy (this procedure, equivalent to surgery, is prescribed if there is some doubt about the accuracy of the diagnosis).

Laboratory methods are given an auxiliary value. For cancer of the small intestine:

• General blood analysis. The detection of low hemoglobin and elevated ESR are characteristic of any oncological pathology.
• . The detection of a carcinoembryonic antigen in it not only confirms the presence of a cancerous tumor, but also allows you to establish its stage.
• Urinalysis for the content of indican (a substance formed in the liver during the neutralization of indole, a toxic compound that occurs in the intestine as a result of rotting proteins).
• . In cancer of the small intestine, markers CA 242, CEA, CA 19-9 can be detected.

Modern therapy

The most effective is surgery.

• For duodenal cancer, complete removal of the duodenum (duodenectomy) can be performed, as well as an ectomy of the gallbladder, pancreas, and distal ectomy of the stomach. In advanced cases of ileum cancer, an ectomy of the entire right half of the large intestine is sometimes required.

To restore the removed site, either enteroanastomosis is applied, articulating intestinal loops surgically, or enterocoloanastomosis, which consists in connecting the loops of the small and large intestines. If it is impossible to perform an extensive resection, the surgeon implants a bypass anastomosis using a healthy part of the intestine.

• has an auxiliary value, although in some cases (if the tumor is inoperable) it is the only method of palliative treatment designed to alleviate the suffering of the patient.
• is equally ineffective, so it is used either to improve the results of the operation during the postoperative period, or as a palliative method. There is evidence that with the help of radiation therapy, doctors managed to slightly extend the life of their patients.
• Postoperative treatment of small intestine cancer consists in the combined effect of drugs (, and oxaliplatin) and radiation therapy on the patient's body. In order to definitely remove cancer cells from it, several courses of chemotherapy are carried out.

Prevention

The best prevention of small intestine cancer is to follow these simple principles:

• Lifestyle at any age should be active.
• The content of coarse vegetable fibers in food should exceed the content of animal fats.
• The passage of preventive medical examinations should be regular.
• Patients at risk should be registered with an oncologist.
• All chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract should be treated in a timely manner.
• If you experience anxiety symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Forecast

Survival in small bowel cancer is determined by many factors: the age of the patient, histological type, size and stage of the malignant neoplasm, and the timeliness of the operation.

With timely radical resection of the tumor (which did not metastasize to regional lymph nodes and distant organs), the five-year survival rate of patients is at least 40%.

Carefully! Small bowel tumor surgery video (click to open)

Cancer tumors can form in virtually any organ and system of the human body. Their growth leads to functional disorders and destructive changes in tissues, which, without proper treatment, almost always ends in death. Between certain varieties of the disease, there are a number of dependencies regarding the likelihood of their development at a particular age or condition. So, cancer of the small intestine is a fairly rare disease, but this does not reduce its danger.

What is small intestine cancer

Small intestine cancer is an oncological disease that is localized in the digestive tract. In most cases, the tumor begins to grow from epithelial cells, gradually filling the intestinal lumen. This type of cancer is infrequently diagnosed, metastases mainly spread through the lymphatic system, affecting the liver, adrenal glands, kidneys, lungs and bones.

As for the frequency of diagnosing this type of tumor, it is worth noting that the data differ slightly from different authors. For example, a number of experts claim that such diseases are detected on average in 10% of cases, however, according to summary statistics, small intestine cancer accounts for approximately 3% of all cases of detection of malignant tumors in the digestive system.

Specialist's note: the largest number of cases of the disease is observed in Asian countries that are at the stage of development, and the smallest - in developed European countries. Men are more predisposed to developing this type of cancer: compared to women, there are one and a half times more male patients with this diagnosis. Age-related features were also noted - the largest number of cases occurs over the age of 60 years.

Classification

Depending on which cells of the intestine were affected, there are several types of cancer.

Table: Types of small bowel cancer

Causes

To date, doctors cannot name the exact reasons that would directly affect the formation of a cancerous tumor in the small intestine. In about half of the cases, the neoplasm is localized in the area of ​​the duodenum, which is explained by the location of the department - it is the first to come into contact with aggressive substances that enter the body. There are a number of factors that contribute to the emergence and development of this disease:

• hereditary predisposition;
• pathological changes resulting from malnutrition;
• frequent stress, states of nervous tension;
• work involving contact with toxic chemicals;
• long-term development of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (for example, Crohn's disease, the presence of ulcerative formations, diverticulitis, etc.);
• benign tumor;
• irritating effect of bile and gastric juice on the sections of the small intestine;
• sporadic adenomatous polyposis is an increased risk factor;
• the presence of a person's bad habits (smoking, alcoholism);
• contact with radiation;
• some genetic diseases;
• oncological diseases of other organs of the digestive system.

Symptoms

Manifestations of the disease develop gradually, at the first stage the tumor usually does not give any symptoms, which is the main danger - often patients turn already in the later stages, when the probability of recovery is extremely small or completely absent.

The most common symptoms are the following:

• the appearance of periodic pain in the intestines, they are in the nature of spasms;
• nausea and vomiting;
• weight loss;
• loss of appetite;
• bleeding is often observed in the presence of sarcoma;
• the chair becomes unstable;
• if the tumor grows strongly, then the intestinal lumen may be blocked, due to which obstruction develops;
• in the presence of metastases, there are symptoms associated with a malfunction of other affected organs.

Diagnostics

Making a diagnosis requires careful examination of the patient's condition. Required activities include:

• study of family history of the disease;
• collection of patient complaints;
• medical examination;
• a blood test to identify the current state of its components;
• analysis of fecal masses for the presence of latent blood;
• examination of the duodenum with an endoscope;
• ultrasound procedure;
• CM (computed tomography), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging);
• tissue biopsy of the detected tumor.

Doctor's note: blood and urine sampling is of particular importance in the diagnosis of oncological diseases to identify tumor markers - special protein formations that are released during the development of a malignant tumor in the body.

Disease stages and treatment prognosis

The success of treatment for oncological disease largely depends on the speed of the patient's response to the identified signs and the state of the neoplasm at the time of initiation of treatment.

Table: cancer stages

Treatment

The treatment of a cancerous tumor is a complex and multifactorial process, which is rather difficult for the patient to tolerate due to the use of aggressive techniques. However, it is this approach that allows you to fight the disease and achieve positive results.

Surgical

To date, the only method of treatment that gives real results is bowel resection, that is, the surgical removal of the affected area. The volume of a particular operation and the techniques used in its course are completely determined by the current state of the patient and the extent of the cancer. In general, two types of intervention can be distinguished:

• radical operations (their main goal is to completely remove the source of the problem, namely the affected part of the intestine and nearby tissues damaged by the process);
• palliative procedures are necessary to alleviate the patient's condition.

Chemotherapy

If the tumor cannot be removed or the formation is recognized as sensitive to chemicals, then chemotherapy must be included in the course of treatment. The procedure involves the introduction of powerful toxins into the body, which are designed to destructively affect tumor cells. Unfortunately, such treatment is very difficult, often affects the cells of healthy organs, and has a long list of side effects:

• baldness;
• damage to the mucous membranes;
• the death of part of the blood cells (that is, weakening of the immune system);
• nausea and vomiting.

It should be noted that even the presence of pronounced side effects is not a reason to stop therapy with this method.

Radiation therapy is an additional method that is used to enhance the effect of chemotherapy and surgery. The procedure is performed using special devices with ionizing radiation, the source of which is a radioactive substance.

The action is based on the fact that cancer cells are more susceptible to this type of radiation, under its influence, multiple mutations develop in them, due to which diseased cells die. Healthy cells have a greater resistance to such radiation, so destruction is usually not amenable. In some cases, radiation therapy can minimize the symptomatic manifestations of developing cancer.

Folk methods

It should be understood that cancer is a very serious and dangerous disease, and that is why it requires active traditional treatment. Folk methods in this case can only play a supporting role, strengthening the body and helping to alleviate symptomatic manifestations.

In various sources, you can find the following recipes for patients with small intestine cancer:

• Cabbage juice is recommended to take 100 ml daily for at least a month.
• A decoction of buckthorn (2 parts) and pharmacy chamomile (1 part). The composition is poured with hot water and boiled over low heat for about 10 minutes.
• A decoction of calamus root (30 grams of the main ingredient will need a liter of water), which is drunk warm every morning.
• As an immunomodulator, you can use a tincture of the pericarp of a common walnut. To prepare the composition, the amniotic part of the nuts in the amount of 25 pieces is placed in 2 liters of sugar syrup and insisted for three days. Take the resulting infusion daily, two tablespoons before meals.
• Pumpkin juice (you need to drink half a glass a day to maintain immunity).

Photo gallery of folk remedies

Calamus roots for decoction Chamomile for decoction Buckthorn bark for decoction

Examples of small intestine cancer treatment - reviews

There are a lot of cancer patients in all age groups, and all their stories are different - someone manages to cope with the disease, and someone does not. You can find a huge number of real stories from people who have faced small intestine cancer in their lives.

Small intestine cancer is the second case of cancer in the last 10 years. At the third stage, she underwent 8 courses of chemotherapy, several operations and radiation therapy. Today, the consequences of all this horror still remain, but thanks to the desire to live and the support of my friends, I coped with a terrible diagnosis.

Svetlana

My father-in-law was 55 years old when he was diagnosed with third-degree cancer. Despite the passage of chemotherapy, the body could not cope, everything ended after 2 years of struggle.

http://www.woman.ru/health/medley7/thread/4245436

The problem was discovered by chance during an abdominal ultrasound. We were caught at the first stage, so everything was done with one operation and concomitant therapy.

http://forumjizni.ru/showthread.php?t=12361

Possible complications and comorbidities

The most dangerous complication of the development of a cancerous tumor in the small intestine is its metastasis. When the affected cells move to other organs and systems that differ from the place of their initial formation, a variety of consequences can be observed: jaundice, significant depletion, and others, depending on the organ affected by metastases. In the absence of proper and active treatment, cancer gradually destroys the body, leading to death.

Prevention

Given the fact that doctors cannot identify specific causes, all that a person can do to prevent the occurrence of small intestine cancer is to minimize the number of negative factors in their life that increase the risk of the disease, namely:

• rejection of bad habits;
• rational proper nutrition;
• avoiding stress and nervous tension, if necessary, visiting a specialist;
• periodic passage of a comprehensive examination of the body;
• timely response to the presence of other diseases and their correct treatment.

With timely detection, small bowel cancer can be successfully cured, in general, it all depends on the condition of the patient's body. The therapy of such a disease is complex and lengthy, but with a competent approach, it gives good results and allows you to extend a person's life.

Cancer is a dangerous disease that affects any part of the body. Often in medical practice, the development of small intestine cancer is also encountered, the symptoms and manifestations of which are similar to other pathologies of the digestive system.

Causes

Doctors have noticed for many years that the disease is diagnosed most often in patients suffering from pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, some diseases of the digestive system are considered precancerous conditions.

Thus, the cause of small intestine cancer can be colitis, ulcers, Crohn's disease, polyposis. Also, the culprit may be a primary malignant tumor located in another organ. In this case, the formation in the small intestine is a metastasis.

In addition to various pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, the following factors can provoke the degeneration of healthy cells into cancer cells:

1. Smoking and alcohol abuse.
2. Irrational nutrition.
3. Contact with harmful substances or radiation.
4. Age-related changes in the body.
5. hereditary predisposition.

Of these factors, the main attention is given to malnutrition. After all, regular intake of food containing carcinogens leads to irritation of the digestive tract and disruption of its functioning, which in the future can provoke oncology.

Symptoms

Symptoms of small intestine cancer vary slightly because the cancer can be located in different locations. After all, the small intestine consists of several sections: the duodenum, jejunum and ileum.

If the duodenum is affected, then the symptoms will be very similar to a stomach ulcer. A person complains of aversion to food, soreness in the intestinal area of ​​a blunt nature, which can radiate to the back. In severe form, the signs of small intestine cancer are manifested in the form of such manifestations as:

• Intestinal obstruction.
• Nausea, vomiting.
• Increased gas formation.
• Yellowness of the skin.
• General weakness.
• Sudden loss of body weight.

In case of damage to the jejunum and ileum, the following symptoms occur:

• Nausea, vomiting.
• Pain syndrome in the intestines.
• Spasms in the umbilical region.
• Diarrhea.
• The appearance of mucous secretions in the feces.
• Bloating.
• Fast fatiguability.

Symptoms of the development of malignant oncology become more intense and severe at a later stage. In patients, perforation of the intestinal wall often occurs, peritonitis develops, poisoning of the body with decay products of the neoplasm occurs, and signs of severe anemia appear.

Tumor detection

Diagnosis of small intestine cancer begins with a conversation with a doctor about complaints, existing diseases, the presence of poor heredity. After collecting an anamnesis, the doctor conducts an external examination of the patient, feels the abdominal cavity and prescribes an additional examination.

It includes the following methods:

• Colonoscopy. The technique helps to detect the formation, its size, shape. For diagnostics, an endoscopic device with a camera at the end is inserted through the rectum.
• Fibrogastroscopy. The stomach is also examined. This is also done endoscopically.
• Biopsy and histological examination. They help determine whether a tumor in the small intestine has a malignant course, what type it is, how aggressive it is.
• CT scan. Allows you to identify metastases in the internal organs.

Based on the diagnostic results obtained, the attending physician makes a diagnosis and selects a treatment regimen for each patient separately.

Therapeutic methods

The most acceptable treatment for small bowel cancer is surgery. During the operation, a malignant tumor and adjacent tissues are removed. In case of damage to the lymph nodes, they are also eliminated. Depending on the extent of the operation, it may be necessary to artificially reconstruct the bowel.

Radiation therapy is an effect on the production of high-frequency x-rays. Apply these methods before and after surgical removal of the tumor. Both treatments for small bowel cancer cause side effects, but chemotherapy is considered the most aggressive.

As an addition to surgery, chemotherapy and radiation are prescribed. The first technique consists in introducing into the patient's body special aggressive drugs that suppress atypical cells.

Diet

The diet for small intestine cancer involves adherence to a fractional diet. The patient should eat 5 times a day with breaks of 2-3 hours. Portions should be small. This helps to normalize the process of digestion and assimilation of food.

The patient's menu is designed so that every day the body receives a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals. Therefore, the diet is enriched with vegetables, fruits, berries. Allowed to eat soups, cereals, dairy products, fish.

At the first time of treatment, dishes are served grated. They should also be warm, not hot or cold. Under no circumstances should you overeat. The diet also involves the use of a large amount of liquid in the form of ordinary water, compotes, herbal decoctions.

Forecast

The prognosis for stage 1-2 small bowel cancer is quite favorable. At these stages of development, the neoplasm develops within the digestive organ, the metastasis process has not yet started, so the operation helps people get rid of the pathology.

The favorable prognosis for stage 3-4 small intestine cancer is sharply reduced. In this case, the disease already affects the internal organs, spreading metastases. Survival in advanced stages cannot exceed 5 years.

Oncology is an insidious disease that poses a threat to human life. This is why the prevention of small bowel cancer is so important. A healthy lifestyle and regular examination of the gastrointestinal tract will help to minimize the risk of developing a tumor.

Small intestine cancer is a type of oncology that does not belong to common types. It accounts for no more than 3% of malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. Small bowel cancer symptoms and manifestations in women develop much less frequently, and therefore the disease is mainly diagnosed in males at an advanced age, that is, over 60 years of age.

Etiology of the disease

The term "intestinal cancer" is understood as a malignant tumor that affects the tissues of the intestine with mutagenic cells that begin to divide uncontrollably. Affected cells fill the site, disrupt its operation, spread to adjacent areas, healthy tissues and, over time, infect the entire body. In the absence of the necessary treatment, intestinal pathology leads to death.

The length of the loop-shaped small intestine reaches 4.5 m. It consists of several sections: duodenum, jejunum, ileum. Each of them can develop a malignant tumor.

Oncology of the intestine is a disease, the exact causes of which medical science has not yet been able to establish. There is a list of pathologies of the intestine, the defeat of which provokes an increased risk of developing oncology. It:

• the presence of non-polyposis hereditary colorectal cancer;
• celiac disease;
• congenital anomalies in the structure of the gastrointestinal tract;
• Crohn's disease.

Oncology of the small intestine can also occur under the influence of such factors on the human body:

• eating food with a high content of carcinogens;
• abuse of alcohol, nicotine;
• radiation exposure.

Most often, a malignant tumor begins to affect the cylindrical epithelium of the intestinal glands, therefore, according to histology, it refers to carcinoma. To the occurrence of bowel disease predispose:

• intestinal ulcers;
• BPH;
• inflammatory processes of a chronic nature in the intestine;
• diagnosis of diverticulitis.

The tumor of the intestine almost always grows into the lumen of the intestine, and in isolated cases it is exophytic. Oncology, which increases into the lumen, greatly narrows the intestine in an annular type.

The bowel loop, which is located above the site of narrowing, often expands, and its muscles hypertrophy. With strong and long-term stenosis of the lumen, the loop in the intestine stretches, becomes thinner, perforates, causing peritonitis. So patency due to invagination is disturbed.

Oncology rarely undergoes ulceration. It is characterized by metastases to the following organs:

• retroperitoneal and mesenteric lymph nodes;
• liver;
• abdominal department;
• lungs;
• adrenal glands;
• bones;
• dura mater.

As a rule, metastases from the intestines spread in the body with lymph.

A neoplasm in the intestine is able to grow together with a nearby intestinal loop, bladder, large intestine, genitals in a woman, and enlarged regional lymph nodes.

Kinds

A malignant tumor can form anywhere in the small intestine. Oncology is classified into exophytic and endophytic according to the nature of tumor growth. ICD disease code C17 malignant neoplasms of the small intestine.

An exophytic tumor in the intestine grows into the intestinal lumen. At the very beginning, it provokes stagnation of the contents in this department. After a certain time, stagnation is transformed into obstruction.

Endophytic neoplasms do not have clear boundaries. They begin to blur in the tissue of the intestine, affecting its layers one by one, gradually affecting all the membranes. With further progression, oncology affects neighboring organs.

An endophytic tumor is more dangerous, and the prognosis for life expectancy and recovery in this case is negative. The exact nature of the tumor helps to determine the diagnosis of the intestine.

In accordance with the histological structure of tumor neoplasms, they are classified into the following types:

• adenocarcinoma - a tumor that affects the glandular tissues of the intestine, it is not often formed in the intestine, mainly affecting the duodenum;

• carcinoid - a malignant tumor that is formed from epithelial cells, it mainly affects the small and large intestines;
• lymphoma - is a rare type of cancer of the ileum;
• leiomyosarcoma - a malignant tumor that can reach large sizes, is found even through the wall of the abdomen, it often provokes intestinal obstruction.

Reasons for development

Reliable causes that cause the formation of oncology have not been established. In accordance with ongoing surveys and statistics, the risk of infection with pathology increases in such situations:

• in the diagnosis of a tumor of the small intestine in the closest relatives of a person;
• with chronic infectious inflammation of the small intestine, which can destroy mucous surfaces;
• polyps in the intestine;
• oncology of other organs;
• exposure to radiation;
• abuse of alcoholic beverages, smoking;
• the constant inclusion in the diet of salty, dried, smoked foods, which contain a lot of animal fats, as well as the frequent use of lard and fatty meats.

Important! Most often, oncology of the small intestine is detected in men after 60 years.

Characteristic symptoms

A malignant tumor in the small intestine at the very beginning of the lesion does not provoke any symptoms. The first signs develop only at the stage when the process of the course of the disease leads to a narrowing of the lumen at the site of the lesion of the small intestine.

The very first symptoms that should alert a person and become a reason to visit a doctor include complex dyspeptic problems in the intestines:

• persistent nausea;
• vomit;
• bloating;
• spastic pain in the epigastrium, in the navel.

Also, at the first stages of tumor damage, patients have the following characteristic manifestations:

• loose stools with tenesmus - false urge to defecate with pain, after which there is a copious discharge of mucus;
• alternating diarrhea and constipation;
• intestinal obstruction of varying severity;
• pain during bowel movements.

Common signs of bowel disease include:

• rapidly growing weakness;
• frequent ailments;
• rapid fatigue even after light work;
• loss of appetite;
• sudden, seemingly unreasonable weight loss;
• low protein content in blood plasma;
• anemia;
• pale shade of blood and mucous surfaces that line the mouth and nasal cavity;
• frequent dizziness, headaches;
• persistent increase in body temperature to subfebrile.

In men and women, a tumor in the small intestine develops in the first stages of the lesion in almost the same way. But at the moment of active progression and influence on nearby organs, some differences arise.

In women, in the process of germination of a tumor neoplasm in the tissues of neighboring organs, the vagina is injured, and in males, the prostate is injured. When the disease affects the rectum and anal area, then women and men complain of intense pain in the anus, in the area of ​​the coccyx, sacrum, and lumbar spine.

In men, urination disorders are especially pronounced. This indicates the germination of the tumor in the walls of the bladder. This process provokes a rise in temperature to high numbers, infection of the urethra with an ascending type of infection.

Important! Oncology can progress for a long time without provoking complaints at all, and for the first time declare itself only after the occurrence of serious irreversible complications.

A tumor of the small intestine is characterized by a gradual increase in symptoms, and therefore people do not take them seriously. Over time, the tumor grows and has a negative impact on the functions of neighboring organs. At the same time, the victims have complaints that indicate the following dangerous conditions of the intestine:

• intestinal ischemia;
• pancreatitis;
• mechanical jaundice.

In especially severe cases, there are already serious disturbances in the work of other organs that are located closer to the tumor - the pancreas, liver, etc.

Degrees

• 1st degree. At this stage, the diameter of the tumor does not exceed 2 cm, it does not go beyond the boundaries of the small intestine and does not grow into the tissues of nearby organs, metastases are not yet formed.
• 2nd degree. At this stage of the progression of a malignant tumor, it grows a little more, begins to go beyond the boundaries of the intestinal wall and affect nearby organs, but there are no metastases. At this stage, the caecum is often involved in the pathological process - the large intestine, and more specifically, its part - the sigmoid, colon.
• Grade 3 - the tumor is greatly enlarged and can send metastases to the lymph nodes near the small intestine, but distant metastases have not yet been noted.
• 4th degree - the tumor has already struck the tissues located near it, provokes multiple metastases to distant systems and organs.

For oncology of the small intestine, metastasis to the following organs is characteristic:

• abdomen;
• liver;
• ovaries;
• lungs;
• pancreas;
• bladder;
• adrenal glands;
• pelvic organs;
• lymph nodes in the retroperitoneal region.

Diagnostics

To make a correct diagnosis, the doctor conducts a comprehensive study of the patient's condition. It includes several methods at once to increase the accuracy of the results:

1. clinical method. A patient is interviewed, a visual examination and palpation are carried out to establish the circumstances of the development of the disease and the localization of the malignant tumor. If the tumor is large, then it is possible to identify it already at this stage of diagnosis.
2. Laboratory method. Diagnostic tests are carried out to detect anemia, increased ESR, abnormalities in liver tests, and digestive disorders. It also checks for the presence in the blood of indicators of the cancerous process of the intestine - oncomarkers.

Oncomarkers in the intestines are produced in response to the aggressive influence of a malignant neoplasm on the body. They can be of two types. The first ones are organ-specific, which are produced by the affected cells immediately after the pathology is damaged, in the normal state they are not in the body. The second type is enzymes, hormones and other biological substances that produce the remaining healthy cells.

1. Endoscopy. Capsular and laparoscopic techniques are implemented.
2. Radiography with the introduction of a contrast agent. This method allows you to establish the localization of the tumor, to diagnose the direction of its growth - into the thickness of the intestine, into the lumen.

Treatment

The treatment of a malignant tumor in the small intestine correlates with the degree of damage to the organ and the type of oncology. In about 2/3 of all cases, surgery is performed to remove cancer cells. This helps to reduce the intensity of symptoms and increase the life expectancy of the patient.

Important! Sometimes the operation has only a palliative value, that is, it is carried out for the sole purpose of alleviating the suffering of the patient.

When the implementation of the operation is impossible or the tumor formation is sensitive to the effects of chemotherapy, then it is implemented. Chemotherapy drugs inhibit the growth of cancer cells, preventing them from multiplying and developing normally.

Radiation therapy is ineffective in oncology of the small intestine, therefore it is not carried out. It can take place immediately after the operation or during it, this will improve the positive results. Radiation therapy is also used when surgery is not possible for any reason.

After the completion of the surgical intervention, the patient is shown rehabilitation in order to eliminate the symptoms of oncology and try to completely get rid of cancer cells. The doctor may prescribe the following medicines:

• "Oxaliplatin";
• "Leucovorin";
• "Fluorouracil".

At the same time, radiation therapy is being implemented. But all of these procedures can cause a large number of side effects:

• poor health and weakness;
• nausea with vomiting;
• diarrhea;
• persistent headaches;
• hair loss;
• violation of hematopoietic processes;
• mouth ulcers;
• dysfunctions of the immune system.

Due to the fact that the patient's body is difficult to tolerate treatment, he needs the organization of a full-fledged proper nutrition, which involves compliance with such conditions:

1. Refusal of products with a high concentration of animal fats;
2. The use of fiber in sufficient volume - fish oil, soy;
3. Complete abstinence from alcohol, smoking;
4. You can use decoctions of medicinal herbs according to folk recipes to strengthen immunity.

Important! In severe stages of the pathology, when the implementation of the operation is impractical, only radiation and chemotherapy are performed to relieve pain and other severe manifestations of oncology.

Forecast

Early diagnosis of the disease is the key to success in treatment. Long-term prognosis for cancer of the small intestine depends on the stage at which the diagnosis was made and the histological nature of the malignant tumor. If the pathological process is clearly localized, does not produce regional and distant metastases, then the organization of radical resection makes it possible to achieve survival in 35-40% of cases over the next 5 years.

Patients who have been diagnosed with a precancerous disorder should be registered with a doctor, constantly monitor their own health in order to prevent a serious condition. Oncology of the small intestine is a dangerous disease, therefore, with the development of incomprehensible dyspeptic symptoms, it is necessary to seek advice and recommendations from a doctor.