Small intestine has three portions, duodenam, jejunam, and eilium. Duodenum is the first portion of the small intestine and when it is affected by cancer, it is called duodenal cancer. Since this cancer is relatively rare in nature, not many people have much knowledge about it. Thus, it remains an almost unknown condition and thus makes things more difficult for the patients and their relatives. Below given is some basic information regarding duodenal cancer, which will spread awareness and keep you informed about the disease.
Basic Facts about Duodenal Cancer
Duodenum is the link between the stomach and jejunam, another part of the small intestine. The duodenal cancer is less common than colorectal or gastric cancer. Here are some important facts about the disease that you should know.
- Very rarely, someone can develop malignant tumors in the duodenal. The most common tumor in the duodenum is adenocercinoma. There can be other tumors such as lymphomas, stromal tumors, carcinoid tumors, leiomyosarcomas, gastrinomas. The tumor can occur in any part of the duodenum, though the latter half is the area where tumors generally grow.
- The growth rate of malignant tumors in men and women is not too different, and it is generally seen that these tumors develop between 60 to 70 years of age. However, they can also develop during a much younger age.
- How do you know that someone is suffering from duodenal cancer? There are some general symptoms which can be observed in a patient, such as, pain in the abdomen, along with loss of weight, nausea and vomiting tendencies, at times jaundice, and hemorrhage.
- In order to dictate duodenal cancer, barium studies of the upper intestine were generally done. But this method has been replaced by fiberoptic endoscopy. This is more accurate as it shows the exact location of the tumor, and a biopsy of it can be conducted to see if it is malignant or not.
- It is a difficult proposition to remove malignant tumor of the duodenum surgically, because it is located in an area where there are a number of blood vessels that supply blood to the lower parts of the human body. Therefore sometimes chemotherapy is used to shrink the tumor, and at other times the connection between stomach and small intestine is rerouted, using bypass surgery.
These are some basic yet important points about the duodenal cancer that you might find helpful.
