Upper Gastrointestinal Malignancies

Browse through for more information on the specific types of upper gastrointestinal cancers we treat:

• Oesophageal cancer - The cancer cells form anywhere along the length of the oesophagus. The oesophagus is a hollow, muscular tube that allows food and liquid to pass from the throat to the stomach. Oesophageal cancer is commonly of two types - adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
• Stomach cancer - Stomach gastric cancer can affect any part of the stomach. Most stomach cancers are said to be adenocarcinomas by nature. These cancers develop from the gland cells of the mucosa (the innermost lining of the stomach).
• Pancreatic cancer - The malignant cancer cells form in the pancreas. The pancreas is an organ responsible for releasing enzymes that aid digestion. The pancreas also secretes hormones to manage blood sugar.
• Duodenal cancer - The malignant cancer cells form in the duodenum. The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine. The duodenum’s primary function is to complete the first phase of digestion. In the duodenum, the food from the stomach mixes with the enzymes from the pancreas and the bile from the gallbladder helping the food particles break down.
• Gall bladder and bile duct cancer - This is a rare type of cancer where malignant cancer cells form in the gall bladder. Bile duct cancer is also referred to as cholangiocarcinoma. The gall bladder and bile duct help break down the fat in the food for digestion in the duodenum.
• Liver cancer - The malignant cancer cells form in the liver. The most common type of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma, which affects the primary type of liver cell. The liver purifies and regulates the chemical levels of the body’s bloodstream, maintains blood sugar levels and helps in blood clotting.
• Small bowel cancer/small intestine cancer - This is a rare type of cancer where malignant cancer cells form in the small intestine. The small intestine has three parts - duodenum, jejunum and ileum and helps further digestion of the food coming from the stomach. It also absorbs the various nutrients and water from the food so that they can be used to nourish the body.

Upper gastrointestinal cancers can be characterised by the following symptoms:

Oesophageal cancer:

Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing).

Unexplained weight loss.

Persistent coughing.

Chest pain.

Indigestion or heartburn.

Stomach cancer:

Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)

Indigestion and heartburn

Unexplained weight loss

Nausea and vomiting

Persistent stomach pain

Feeling bloated after a meal

Pancreatic cancer:

Loss of appetite and weight loss

Abdominal pain that starts from the back

Symptoms of jaundice (yellowing of skin and whites of the eyes)

Pale or clay-coloured stools

Dark brown urine

Excessive tiredness

Duodenal cancer:

Severe abdominal pain

Nausea and vomiting

Unexplained weight loss

Acid reflux

Constipation and/or bloody stools

Gall bladder and bile duct cancer:

Symptoms of jaundice (yellowing of skin and whites of the eyes)

Pale or clay-coloured stools

Unexplained weight loss

Excessive tiredness

Dark brown urine

Severe abdominal pain

Night sweats and fever

Liver cancer:

Loss of appetite and weight loss

Severe upper abdominal pain

Excessive tiredness

Symptoms of jaundice (yellowing of skin and whites of the eyes)

White, chalky stools

Nausea and vomiting

Small bowel cancer/small intestine cancer:

Unexplained weight loss

Severe upper abdominal pain

Excessive tiredness

Symptoms of jaundice (yellowing of skin and whites of the eyes)

Bloody stools

Nausea and vomiting

Diarrhoea

It is important to note that these symptoms do not necessarily point to cancer at all times. Please make an appointment with us if you have any of the above symptoms so we can give you a correct diagnosis.

At Veritas Cancer Care, we employ the latest tests to arrive at a suitable prognosis and formulate a specialised treatment plan based on your needs. We have several methods of diagnosis:

• Biopsy
• Endoscopy
• Diagnostic imaging

Biopsy

Biopsy methods are dependent on the type of cancer. During the biopsy, your surgeon removes a small amount of abnormal tissue from the area suspected of housing the cancer cells. A pathologist then examines this under a microscope and draws conclusions from it that then inform your treatment and eliminate the treatments that would not work on your type of cancer.

Endoscopy

Your doctor will use an endoscope ( a thin tube with a camera on top) to look at the areas where cancer seems most prevalent. The endoscope is inserted through the nose or mouth and helps examine areas that are hard to reach.

Diagnostic imaging

This includes taking scans such as CT scans, PET scans, MRIs and ultrasounds. Using these scans, your doctor can advise a treatment plan that would help you.

• Positron emission tomography (PET)/CT: You receive an injection of a small amount of a radioactive substance, which is taken up by cancer cells. A special scanner creates images that show the highlighted areas to provide details about cancer, especially where it has spread.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): An MRI scan uses radio waves and strong magnets to create cross-sectional pictures of your body. We use MRI to examine tumors more closely and check for signs that cancer has spread.
• Computed tomography (CT): These scans use special X-ray equipment to create cross-sectional images inside your pelvic area. CT scans can show the size of tumors and whether cancer has spread.