Gastrointestinal Cancer
GI cancers account for approximately 26% of overall cancers in India. They include cancers that affect the colon and rectum, stomach, esophagus, liver, gall bladder, and pancreas.
Risk Factors
Risk factors include a family history of GI cancers, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, and unhealthy dietary habits.
Symptoms
The most common symptom is abdominal pain. Other symptoms include unexplained weight loss, decreased appetite, irregular bowel movements (diarrhea and/or constipation), vomiting, and passing blood in stools.
Diagnosis
These cancers can be diagnosed using various investigations like Endoscopy, Colonoscopy, CECT(Abdomen+ Pelvis), Whole Body PET-CT, USG/ CT guided biopsy of intra-abdominal tumors, and tumor markers like CEA, CA 19-9.
Treatment
A multimodality approach is required for the treatment of GI cancers depending on the stage and molecular classification of the disease which includes: Surgery, Chemotherapy, Radiation Therapy, and Targeted Therapy.