Gastrointestinal cancer is generally a group of cancers affecting organs like stomach, esophagus, gall bladder, bowels, rectum, anus, liver, and pancreas. 

Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms of gastrointestinal cancer vary, depending on the type of cancer. Symptoms may include:

• Abdominal pain and discomfort
• Change in bowel habits
  
• Rectal bleeding
  
• Bloating
  
• Loss of appetite
  
• Nausea and vomiting
  
• Unusual weight loss
  
• Fatigue
  

Causes of GI cancer

The causes of gastrointestinal cancers include:

• Smoking
• Too much alcohol consumption
  
• Age
  
• High animal fat diet
  
• High amount of salt intake
  
• Chronic pancreatitis
  
• Obesity
  

Treatment

Treatment of this type of cancer depends on many factors such as type of cancer, stage and other general health factors. The two major treatment options for GI cancers are chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

• ​Radiation Therapy –To treat gastrointestinal cancers, IMRT (intensity modulated radiation therapy) is widely used            which enables high accuracy while ensuring minimal damage to other organs like liver, kidneys, and spinal cord.              Moreover, IMRT allows doctors to deliver radiation to hard-to-reach areas.
  

GASTROINTESTINAL CANCER