Gastrointestinal Cancers: Risk Factors, Symptoms, and Screening
Gastrointestinal cancers (GI) may severely affect your digestive tract. Experts haven’t found exact causes, but gastrointestinal cancers can be linked to lifestyle habits and genetic conditions.
“While gastrointestinal cancers are complex, they’re often treatable when found early, and that’s why it’s important to know the symptoms,” says Theodore Hong, MD. Hong is a radiation oncologist and director of the Tucker Gosnell Center for Gastrointestinal Cancers at Mass General Cancer Center.
Hong reviews risk factors, symptoms, screening, and steps you can take to help reduce your risk.
Complex GI Cancer: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment
Theodore Hong, MD, radiation oncologist and director of the Tucker Gosnell Center for Gastrointestinal Cancers at Mass General Cancer Center, explains the many options available for complicated GI cancer.
What are gastrointestinal cancers?
An Innovative Approach
Pioneering cancer surgery allows a young dad to get back to what he loves.
Read more
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers affect the GI tract, also called the digestive tract. The digestive tract is a tube that goes from the mouth to the rectum. It carries food and liquids and turns them into energy in the process.
GI cancers include cancers of the:
GI cancer affects these areas when uncontrolled cell growth occurs in the digestive tract or doctors can’t remove malignant cells on time. Cancer cells may spread to other parts of the body through the lymph nodes—a system of vessels that carry white blood cells that help to fight infections in your body.
“GI cancers are often complex because the GI tract itself is pretty complicated, with many different parts and functions,” says Hong. “A problem in one area of the GI tract can impact others.”
Knowing your risk may lead us to recommend additional testing and screenings, and more frequent colon cancer screenings.
What are gastrointestinal cancer risk factors?
Gastrointestinal cancer tends to develop in men more than in women. According to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), 8 in 100 men develop GI cancer before age 75, compared to 4 in 100 women.
There are several factors that can increase your risk of developing gastrointestinal cancer. Gastrointestinal cancer risk factors include:
- Drinking alcohol
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Eating a diet high in red and processed meats
- Have human papillomavirus (HPV) infection or a history of it
- Type 2 diabetes
- Family history of GI cancer
- History of GI cancer or inflammatory bowel disease
“If you have inflammatory bowel disease, or a family history of GI cancer, you may need screening even earlier, before you turn 45,” says Hong.
Read more about gastrointestinal cancer symptoms, prevention, and treatment at massgeneralbrigham.org