Symptoms of Small intestine cancer or Duodenal Cancer

Duodenal Cancer: Causes, Symptoms & Risk Factors Explained

Also referred to as duodenal adenocarcinoma, duodenal cancer is a rare yet rapidly increasing malignant disease that develops in the small intestine or bowel. It typically comes with non-specific signs and symptoms, such as abdominal pain, unintentional weight loss, nausea, and vomiting.

Early diagnosis is crucial because the prognosis is much improved when duodenal cancer is diagnosed early. Understanding duodenal cancer symptoms and related risk factors is essential for its proper identification and effective treatment.

Read ahead to learn about duodenal cancer, its risk factors, symptoms, and more details.

What is Duodenal Cancer?

Duodenal cancer is an uncommon but threatening type of small intestine cancer that occurs in the duodenum, the initial and broadest segment of the small intestine. This segment links the stomach to the jejunum and is essential to digestion by combining food with bile, enzymes, and stomach acids to digest it for nutrient absorption.

The most frequent form of duodenal cancer is adenocarcinoma, which comprises nearly 77% of all duodenal cancers. The other types of duodenal cancers include carcinoid tumors, lymphoma, and sarcoma. In general, the initial symptoms of duodenal cancer are mild, so diagnosis may not be possible until the disease is advanced.

What are the Symptoms of Duodenal Cancer?

The duodenal cancer symptoms depend on which part of the duodenum is affected. Mentioned below are the common symptoms associated with duodenal cancer:

• Abdominal pain
• Blood in your stool
• Constipation
• Acid reflux
• Nausea or vomiting
• Sudden weight loss
• Weakness
• Diarrhea
• Lumps in the abdomen
• Anemia
• Jaundice

What are the Risk Factors of Duodenal Cancer?

There are various risk factors for duodenal cancer, which is a rare form of small bowel cancer that occurs mostly in the first segment of the small intestine (duodenum). Such risk factors include:

• Age: The majority of cases occur in patients aged between 60 and 80 years.
• Gender: Duodenal cancer is more frequentin men than in women.
• Ethnicity: African-Americans may have a higher risk of developing this condition.
• Smoking: Smoking tobacco isknown to have associated risks.
• Alcohol Intake: Drinking too much alcohol may increase the risk of getting duodenal cancer.
• Diet: High intakes of red meat, salt, and processed or smoked food have been correlated with increased incidence.
• Inherited Genetic Syndromes: People with inherited genetic syndromes, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), lynch syndrome (Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer), peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS), and cystic fibrosis, may develop this condition.
• Autoimmune and Inflammatory Bowel Disorders: People with Crohn's disease, Celiac disease (Celiac sprue), etc., are at a higher risk of developing duodenal cancer.
• Immunosuppression: People with weak immune systems, including post-transplant patients or HIV-positive individuals, are at increased risk.

What is the Diagnosis of Duodenal Cancer?

Healthcare providers tend to perform the following diagnostic methods in order to detect duodenal cancer and its staging:

• CT (Computed Tomography) Scan  : A CT scan is a diagnostic imaging procedure that utilizes X-rays to make images in cross-sectional planes of the body to help detect the spread of cancer. The procedure frequently uses contrast agents, which can be given intravenously or orally.
• PET CT (Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography) Scan : PET CT scans assess the extent of cancer's spread to lymph nodes or distant organs. PET imaging provides both structural and functional information by employing isotope-labelled glucose radiation to measure cellular glucose uptake in cancer tissues.
• Endoscopy: Endoscopy entails passing a thin, flexible tube with a camera attached to examine the stomach and duodenal lining. Depending on the site of the tumor, endoscopy can be tailored to discuss specific duodenal tumors and can also aid in obtaining tissue samples for biopsies.
• Biopsy : A biopsy is done by taking a small tissue sample for pathological examination to determine the type of tumor. It is required to define the nature of the tumor.
• Pathology:  The obtained tissue sample is further subjected to histopathological examination (HPE) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) to determine the type of disease and its staging.

What are the Treatments for Duodenal Cancer?

Doctors can perform the following duodenal cancer treatment methods depending on the stage and progression of the disease:

• Surgery: Treatment starts with the removal of the tumor by preserving healthy tissue. For advanced cancer, a Whipple procedure is done to remove the duodenum, pancreatic tissue, and gallbladder.
• Chemotherapy: Anti-cancer medications are given in cycles to destroy rapidly dividing cancer cells, before or after surgery.
• Radiation Therapy: High-energy beams are directed at the gastrointestinal region to shrink or destroy cancer cells. They aresometimes used with chemotherapy or surgery for improved results.
• Removal of Lymph Nodes: If cancer has extended to surrounding lymph nodes, they are surgically removed to enhance survival rates, though the exact mechanism behind its success remains unknown.

Although rare, duodenal cancer is a life-threatening condition with insidious presenting symptoms. Identifying duodenal cancer causes, signs, and being well-informed about the risk factors for duodenal cancer are major steps towards early diagnosis and effective treatment.

To assist you financially in covering the expensive treatment of cancer, Star Health Insurance provides the Star Cancer Care Platinum Insurance Policy. The wide-ranging policy covers different treatments for cancer and ensures that you and your family are safeguarded during your battle against this disease.