Symptoms
Small bowel cancer signs and symptoms include:
- Pain in the abdomen.
- Skin yellowing and yellowing of the eyes' whites
(jaundice).
- Feeling unusually tired or weak.
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- Losing weight without making an effort.
- Blood in the stool, which may be red or black in
colour.
- Diarrhea with water.
- Flushing of the skin.
Causes
Most small bowel cancers are caused by unknown factors, according to doctors.
Small bowel cancer develops when healthy cells in the bowel develop changes (mutations) in
their DNA. A cell's DNA contains instructions that tell the cell what to do.
To keep your body running smoothly, healthy cells divide and grow in an orderly fashion..
When a cell's DNA is damaged and it becomes cancerous, it continues to divide — even when
new cells aren't required. As these cells multiply, they combine to form a tumour.
Cancer cells can spread over time and invade and destroy normal tissue nearby. Cancerous
cells can also spread to other parts of the body (metastasize).
Risk elements
The following factors may increase the risk of small bowel cancer:
- Mutations in genes are passed down through families.
Certain inherited gene mutations can increase your chances of developing small bowel
cancer and other cancers . Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), and
Peutz-Jeghers syndrome are a few examples.
- Other bowel disorders Other intestine-related diseases
and conditions, such as Crohn's disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and celiac disease,
may increase the risk of small bowel cancer.
- Immune system is weakened. If your body's germ-fighting
immune system is compromised, you may be at a higher risk of developing small bowel
cancer. People with HIV infection and those taking anti-rejection medication after an
organ transplant are two examples.
- Complications.
- Small bowel cancer can result in complications such as:
- An increased risk of developing other cancers. People who
have small bowel cancer are more likely to develop other types of cancer, such as those
that affect the colon, rectum, ovaries, and uterine lining (endometrium).
- Cancerous tumours that spread to other parts of the body
Advanced small bowel cancer has the potential to spread to other parts of the body, most
commonly the liver.
Prevention
- Because small bowel cancer is so rare, it's unclear what
might help reduce the risk. If you want to lower your overall risk of cancer, you should
do the following:
- Consume a wide range of fruits, vegetables, and whole
grains. Vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants found in fruits, vegetables, and
whole grains may help reduce your risk of cancer and other diseases. Choose a variety of
fruits and vegetables to ensure that you are getting a wide range of vitamins and
nutrients.
- Drink alcohol sparingly, if at all.
- Quit smoking. Consult your doctor about quitting methods
that may be suitable for you.
- Most days of the week, exercise. On most days, try to get
at least 30 minutes of exercise. If you've been inactive, begin slowly and gradually
increase to 30 minutes. Also, before beginning any exercise programme, consult with your
doctor.
- Keep a healthy weight. If you are already at a healthy
weight, work to keep it there by combining a healthy diet with daily exercise. If you
need to lose weight, talk to your doctor about healthy ways to do so. Aim to lose weight
gradually by increasing your physical activity and decreasing your calorie intake.