Get all your questions answered about Gastrointestinal cancer

1. What are the most common types of gastrointestinal cancer? Gastrointestinal cancers are the most common cancers worldwide. As a whole they are responsible for more cancers and deaths from cancer than any other system in the body. One in every twenty people will be affected by colon cancer, one of the GIcancers. • Gastrointestinal cancer (GI) affects the organs of your digestive tract. The most common GI cancers include thefollowing: • Anal cancer, colon cancer, and rectalcancer • Esophagealcancer • Gallbladder cancer • Liver cancer • Pancreatic cancer • Small intestinalcancer • Stomach cancer (gastric cancer) • The most common cancer typesare: • Adenocarcinoma • Squamous cellcarcinoma • Neuroendocrinetumours • Gastrointestinal stromal tumours(GISTs) • What are the most common symptoms of GIcancer? • You may have no symptoms in the early stages of GIcancer. • When Gastrointestinal cancer cast symptoms they have usually grown sufficiently big.They are usually diagnosed at this point when they start causing symptoms. • When gastrointestinal cancer is advanced enough to cause symptoms, they may include: • Cramping or pain in theabdomen • Stool that is bloody or blackcolored • Changes in bowel habits especially recent change such as diarrhoea or constipation, or changes in stool consistency ornarrowing

2. SwallowingDifficulties • Digestive issues • Jaundice (yellowing of the eyes andskin) • Vomiting andnausea • The abdomen isswollen • Tiredness, weakness, weight loss, or appetiteloss • What are the causes of developing GIcancer? • GI tract cancers develop when the cells lining one or more of the digestive tract's organs begins to grow uncontrolled, producing tumours and occasionally spreading to lymph nodes and otherorgans. • The cause of GI cancer is still not fully known to medical experts. Still, cell damage increases the likelihood of abnormalities appearing, which can be caused by infections, obesity, smoking, and some environmental risk factors.GI • cancers can also be hereditary i.e. they run infamily. • Risk factors that increase your chances of developing GI cancerare: • Infection with Hepatitis A or B (livercancer) • Infection with Helicobacter Pylori (stomachcancer) • Smoking • Alcoholism • Gastritis • Obesity or beingoverweight • Having a history of GI cancer or another cancer • Previous surgery on one or more digestiveorgans • Family history of GIcancer • Polyps that had previously grown in the colon orstomach • How can I lower my chances of developing gastrointestinalcancer? • It has been observed that more than 2/3 of GI cancers are lifestylerelated. • Several lifestyle changes can lower your chances of developing these cancers. These include avoiding alcohol and smoking, eating plenty of greenvegetables,

3. avoiding preserved or burnt meats, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising on a regular basis. • What are my chances of a cure if any of theseoccur? • When detected early these cancers can be cured. Even in advanced stages with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy one can think ofcure. • But needless to say do not ignore any earlysymptoms. • Will my gallbladder stones causecancer? • Although gallstones are common, only a small percentage of those who have them will develop gallbladder cancer. Your cancer risk increases if a gallstone causes pain, is large, or you have a close relative who has gallbladdercancer. • Can these cancers be treated with Robotic/Laparoscopicsurgery? • The robotic/laparoscopic technique has completely transformed the field of surgery. • In addition to the obvious cosmetic benefits, research has shown that it results in: • Less surgicaltrauma • A shorter hospitalstay • Less bloodloss • A lower complicationrate • An earlier return towork • Laparoscopic surgery is increasingly being used to treat colorectal, esophageal, and gastric cancers. Thanks to technological advances and increasing surgeon expertise, cancers of the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder can now be operated on laparoscopically in selectedcases. • If you are experiencing unusual GI symptoms or want to learn more about the disease, get an appointment with Dr. Neeraj Goel, an expert GI Surgeon in Delhi. He is always there to assist you at every stage of gastrointestinalcancer.