Gastrointestinal cancer, or GI cancer, is the fifth most common cancer recorded in men, while in women, it is the sixth most common case that women are diagnosed within India.
According to a recent survey, the number of gastrointestinal cancers keeps increasing every year. As per the data, Mizoram accounts for the highest record of gastrointestinal cancers. They are commonly caused because of high consumption of alcohol, smoking, and eating spicy and preserved food.
Gastrointestinal cancer is a group of cancer that affects your whole digestive system. Because of the increasing use of alcohol and smoking among teenagers, the chances of developing this stomach cancer increase. That is why it has now become a global health concern.
As for which parts of areas they can affect, well, they can impact any part of your digestive tract, from the esophagus to the small intestine, liver, pancreas, colon, and even your binary system and anus. When it spreads to other parts of the digestive system, it can become a huge health problem. That is why understanding its early prevention and what causes gastrointestinal cancers is crucial.
What Exactly is Gastrointestinal Cancer?
Gastrointestinal cancer is nothing but a group of cancers that affects your whole digestive tract or gastrointestinal tract, that starts from mouth to anus.
The GI commonly affects your esophagus (the tube that carries food or fluid from your throat to your stomach), your gut, your small intestine, large intestine, colon (the longest part of the large intestine), liver, pancreas, bile ducts (carries digestive fluid produced by the liver), and anus.
Just like ovarian cancer, gastrointestinal cancers too are difficult to detect in the early stages. Their symptoms are often ignored or not paid much attention which makes them very hard to detect in the early stages. That is why knowing how gastrointestinal cancers are caused and how to prevent them is very important.
Types of Gastrointestinal Cancers
- Stomach cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Liver cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Small intestine cancer
- Gallbladder cancer
- Gastrointestinal stromal tumor
- Carcinoid Tumors
- Anus cancer
How Does Gastrointestinal Cancer Happen? Causes of GI Cancer
Gastrointestinal cancers are caused by various factors.
It can be the lifestyle of a person, genetic mutations, family history, lack of nutrition value, age, and weight are some of the factors that cause GI cancers.
- Lifestyle: If a person is too fond or addicted to smoking, having around 20 cigarettes per day is bound to cause gastrointestinal cancers. Moreover, drinking too much alcohol, consuming highly processed food and meat, and even having too much salt in your food increase the chances of gastrointestinal cancers.
- Age and Gender: People above the age of 50 are more at risk of gastrointestinal cancers. In addition, compared to women, men tend to be at higher risk for GI cancers.
- Family History: Having someone in the family who already has a history of GI cancers can increase the chances of GI.
- Lack of Nutrition: Having a lack of nutrition in your body, consuming almost no fruits, can also increase the chances.
How to Detect Gastrointestinal Cancer Early?
As we have mentioned earlier, early detection of gastrointestinal cancers is not an easy task.
However, there are certain steps and measures that you can use to detect the disease. The early detection of gastrointestinal cancers varies depending on your GI cancer.
- Losing weight out of sudden and nowhere is one of the early signs of gastrointestinal cancer.
- Feeling heartburn constantly and persistently and having difficulty in digestion.
- Often having the feeling of food getting stuck in the throat or chest.
- Loss of appetite, feeling full after a small meal and experiencing bloating.
- Feeling nausea and consistently puking.
- Changes in bowel movements. Experiencing diarrhea or constipation.
- You are noticing blood in your stool or vomiting blood.
- Feeling fatigued and weak without any reason.
- Constant discomfort around the abdomen and going through abdomen pain.
If you notice such signs or symptoms, immediately consult your doctor.
How to Treat Gastrointestinal Cancer?
Depending on the type of gastrointestinal cancer, stage, and location, treatment methods will vary too.
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Radiotherapy
- Targeted Treatment
Surgery is one of the most opt and chosen treatments for gastrointestinal cancer. In this, all the tumor parts are removed, and in the case of stomach cancer, your stomach is also removed if largely affected. Another treatment that is used in treating gastrointestinal cancers is chemotherapy. The main goal of chemotherapy is to use drugs to shrink the size of tumors and minimize the chances of recurrence.
Radiotherapy is combined either with surgery or chemotherapy. This high-energy beam is directed to kill the cancer cells, which can be done with chemotherapy or after surgery. Targeted treatment is either used to target the weaker area or one specific area in case of multiple cancer cells affecting various parts.
Which Foods Should You Avoid to Prevent Gastrointestinal Cancer?
There is only one way to reduce the chances of gastrointestinal cancers: by opting for a more well-balanced and nutritious diet.
Still, there are certain foods you must avoid eating that would help in reducing the chances of getting gastrointestinal cancers.
- Avoid eating processed food and meat as they contain high preservatives that are harmful to your body. Avoid eating processed meat like sausage, hot dog, or ham. Even overeating red meat can increase the chances of being diagnosed with gastrointestinal cancer.
- Avoid eating foods grilled or cooked at high temperatures, as such meals often produce high amounts of chemicals like HCAs.
- The consumption of salt in large quantities is often associated with the risk of developing gastrointestinal cancers. According to World Cancer Research, consuming salt less than 5 grams ( one teaspoon) is recommended. Having too much salt can damage your stomach line.
- Sugary food and drinks, pastries, and white bread all contain high carbohydrates (containing sugar, starch, and cellulose) which leads to obesity, which is one of the risk factors for GI cancers. Moreover, sometimes high sugar levels and insulin can often lead to gastrointestinal cancers.
- Consuming an excessive amount of alcohol, including drinking beer, wine, or other alcoholic drinks, can cause stomach cancer, esophagus cancer, and liver cancer.
- Lastly, having high saturated and low fiber minerals and nutrition can cause GI cancers. A lack of fruits and vegetables decreases nutrition and creates complications.
Taking Action to Prevent and Treat Gastrointestinal Cancers
Overall, gastrointestinal cancers are serious problems that affect overall parts of the body. These cancers might be challenging to spot early on, but awareness of signs and symptoms and making better health choices can lower your danger.
Reducing processed foods, excess salt, and drinks while eating a well-rounded diet with plenty of fiber and nutrients can defend against these cancers.
If you, or someone you care about, is diagnosed with gastrointestinal cancer, finding it early and getting proper treatment, like surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy, is vital. Beating cancer is hard, but with a good doctor, many patients win against the illness.
If top-level care is what you’re after, Dr. Aditi Bhatt is well-respected in treating these cancers. Her vast expertise, caring attitude, and custom-tailored treatment make her a top choice HIPEC doctor in Ahmedabad. By focusing on medications and the total health of her patients, Dr. Bhatt ensures everyone gets the finest care on their health journey.
