Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgery

Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgery

Cancer that appears along the digestive tract is known as gastrointestinal cancer (also called the digestive tract). The oesophagus, which transports food from the mouth to the stomach, is where the GI tract begins, and the anus is where it terminates (where waste exits the body). The GI tract is where primary GI cancer initially develops.

The category of tumours that affect the digestive tract is often referred to as gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. 

This comprises the cancers in the following list:

  • Oesophageal Cancer
  • Liver Cancer
  • Stomach Cancer
  • Gallbladder & Biliary Tract Cancer
  • Pancreatic Cancer
  • Gastro-Intestinal Stromal Tumour (GIST)
  • Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs)
  • Colorectal Cancer
  • Small Bowel Cancer
  • Anal Cancer

Symptoms of Gastrointestinal Cancer

You may have no symptoms in the early stages of GI cancer. Plus, it is quite difficult to feel GI tumours as they grow. Symptoms of GI cancer that are severe enough to be felt include:

  • Abdominal cramping or pain
  • Bloody or very dark stool
  • Changes in bowel habits, such as diarrhoea, constipation, or changes in consistency or narrowing of the stool
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Digestive problems
  • Jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin)
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Swelling in the abdomen
  • Tiredness, weakness, weight loss, or loss of appetite

Treatment for Gastrointestinal Cancer

The kind and stage of the disease, the patient’s age, general health, and personal preferences all affect GI cancer treatment options. GI cancer medical care differs according to the type of cancer. While some medicines work to eradicate cancer cells, others try to stop them from proliferating, combat their flaws, or lessen the likelihood that they will come back.

Depending on the kind and stage of gastrointestinal cancer, many treatment options may be available, such as:

Chemotherapy: Anti-cancer medications used orally, intravenously, or intramuscularly kill cancer cells or block their growth.

Precision treatments – Drugs for targeted therapy identify cancer cells’ genomic vulnerabilities, whereas immunotherapy activates the immune system to seek out and eliminate cancer cells.

Radiation therapy – External or internal devices may be used to provide high-energy beams that can eradicate gastrointestinal cancer.

Surgery – Many methods can be employed to accurately and safely remove malignant tissue.

Surgery is an essential component of treatment for patients with GI cancer who have a chance of a cure. The standard open method or, for some patients, a minimally invasive laparoscopic or robotic procedure, may be used to perform surgery for gastrointestinal cancer.

The procedure to remove stomach / Colon rectal cancer is standardized. These complications include postoperative bleeding, blood clots, and injury to neighbouring organs during surgery. There is a chance that the new connections between the ends of the small intestine, oesophagus, and stomach will leak (2% – 5%). The likelihood of complications occurring increases with the scope of the procedure, such as when additional organs are removed, but it decreases when performed by highly qualified surgeons.

Why Choose Prakriya?

With our cutting-edge technology, up-to-date knowledge and experienced oncologists, Prakriya can help you live life cancer-free. You are our top priority!