Gastro Intestinal Cancer

Gastro-Intestinal Cancer Statistics

Global Statistics

GI cancer accounts for 26% of the global cancer incidence and is responsible for35% of all cancer-related deaths. There were approximately 4.8 million new cases and 3.4 million deaths globally in 2018 due to gastrointestinal cancer.

Indian Statistics

Results of the National Cancer Registry Programme, India, show that GI cancer is more common in men (60.5%) than in women (39.5%) in India. It is the fifth most common cancer in men and the seventh most common among females in the country.

What is Gastro-Intestinal Cancer & What Causes it?

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer represents cancers of digestive tract organs including the stomach, large and small intestine, pancreas, colon, liver, rectum, anus, and biliary system.

The abnormal and accelerated growth of infected cells causing tumors in digestive tract organs lead to gastrointestinal (GI) cancer.

Get in Touch with Our Medical Expert today

Contact Us

Types of Gastro-Intestinal Cancer

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer is categorized as upper and lower digestive tract cancer.

What are the Risk Factors?

Primary risk factors causing Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer are:

• Hepatitis A or B infection can cause liver cancer
• H. Pylori infection can lead to stomach cancer
• Smoking
• Gastritis
• Alcohol consumption
• Being overweight or obese
• History of GI cancer or another cancer
• History of surgery of one or more organs in the digestive system
• Family history of GI cancer
• Previous polyps growing in the colon or stomach

Additionally, bad lifestyle choices such as obesity, not exercising, smoking, poor diet, and heavy alcohol use can cause Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. However, the risk factors vary for each cancer type.

Disclaimer:Having one or all of the below listed factors, does not necessarily mean it is Cancer. Get in touch with our Cancer Expert today to know more.

Stages of Gastro-Intestinal Cancer

Staging and grading is a system used to define the acceleration and growth of defective cells, and tumors in & around the infected region. Gastrointestinal cancer is staged as follows:

• Stage 0 (in-situ): At this stage, the patient is diagnosed with cancer and the cancer is present in the infected region only.
• Stage I: Cancer is growing but not spreading at this stage.
• Stage II: At this stage, cancer starts spreading and affecting nearby regions. Additionally, there can be more than one tumor present at this stage.
• Stage III: At this stage, cancer starts spreading to the nearby organs rapidly.
• Stage IV: At this stage, cancer growth is accelerated and it starts affecting neighbouring body parts. Generally, the survival rate is extremely poor at this stage.

Signs and Symptoms of gastro-intestinal Cancer

Signs differ with each cancer type, however, a few common symptoms of gastro-intestinal cancer include:

• Abdominal cramping or pain
• Bloody or very dark stool
• Changes in bowel habits, such as diarrhoea, constipation, or changes in consistency or narrowing of the stool
• Difficulty swallowing
• Digestive problems
• Jaundice
• Nausea and vomiting
• Swelling in the abdomen
• Tiredness
• Weakness
• Sudden weight loss
• Loss of appetite

Diagnosis of Gastro-Intestinal Cancer

Gastro-intestinal cancer patients are diagnosed using the following tests/procedures:

Endoscopy or esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD)

Colonoscopy

Blood tests

MRI

X-ray

Ultrasound

CT scan

PET scan

Biopsy

Barium swallow

However, diagnostic procedures may vary depending on the cancer type

Treatment of Gastrointestinal Cancer

Gastrointestinal cancer patients are treated using the following methods:

Surgery

Chemotherapy

Radiation therapy

Targeted therapy

Immunotherapy

Furthermore, a treatment plan is curated for an individual depending on the cancer type, stage, patient’s age, medical history and overall health.

What's New in Gastro-Intestinal Cancer Research?

Research is underway to find out more about the cause, diagnosis, treatment and life after GI cancer. Doctors aim to provide better diagnoses and cures to ease the life of GI cancer patients.

Let’s have a look at the top three research for Gastrointestinal cancer:

1. There is an ongoing trial in the UK looking at the prospect of aspirin in stopping GI cancer recurrence. The trial aims to check if using aspirin during cancer treatment can stop the recurrence of the bowel (colorectal), breast, colon, oesophageal, prostate, rectal and stomach cancer.
2. Cancer Research UK is supporting research that uses breath samples to detect cancer at an early stage. It has been found that body cells secrete certain substances in the human bloodstream that can be exhaled from the lungs. The studies indicate that the substance may differ in an individual having cancer. The research aims to check if the exhaled air can be used to detect cancer or not.
3. There is an ongoing trial to check the effect of the intratumoral microbiota on spatial and cellular heterogeneity in cancer.

FAQs