thomasr.sharkey

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer is a term used for the group of cancers that affect the gastrointestinal tract and other organs that are contained within the digestive system, including the esophagus, pancreas, stomach, colon, rectum, anus, liver, biliary system, and small intestine.

The symptoms relate to the organ affected and can include obstruction, abnormal bleeding or other associated problems.

The most common types of gastrointestinal cancers include esophageal cancer, gastric (stomach) cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer. Other types are much less common, including neuroendocrine tumors, gastrointestinal stromal tumors and anal cancer.

Tumors may also result from specific underlying conditions—like gastroesophageal reflux disease in the esophagus, Helicobacter pylori infection in the stomach, diabetes in the pancreas, inflammatory bowel disease in the large intestine (colon and rectum), hepatitis B or C virus infection or cirrhosis in the liver.