Upper GI Surgery

Upper GI Cancer Basics

The upper GI tract includes the duodenum, oesophagus, and stomach. Upper GI cancer or small bowel cancer is a rare disease in which cells in the intestinal mucosa change, says the best cancer doctor in Kolkata. They start growing out of control and can develop into a lump or tumour.

The small intestine (also called the “small bowel”) connects your stomach to your large intestine. Its primary function is to break down and absorb the nutrients, fats, vitamins, and other nutrients that are needed by the body. If you have this cancer type, the tumour cells can block your small intestine.

Upper GI Cancer Types

According to the best gastroenterology cancer surgeon in Kolkata, there are five types of small bowel cancer:

• Adenocarcinomas: This makes for about 30% to 40% of cases. Adenocarcinoma begins in the small intestine. At first it may seem like a small, cancer-free growth called a polyp, but over time it can turn into cancer.
• Sarcoma: Cancer cells grow in the soft tissues of the small intestine.
• Carcinoid tissue: This slow-growing cancer usually develops in the lower part of the small intestine. They may also affect your appendix or rectum. These tissues release large amounts of certain body chemicals, such as serotonin.
• Intestinal tissues (GISTs): This is a rare form of small bowel cancer. More than half of them start in the stomach. Not all GISTs have cancer.
• Intestinal lymphomas: A cancer in the lymph nodes is termed as lymphoma, and people who suffer from it, have a suppressed immune system. That means your body’s natural immune system is weakened and may not fight infections properly.

Upper GI Cancer Treatment Options in Kolkata

What treatment your doctor recommends will depend on many factors, such as the type of cancer and whether it is widespread.

Advanced GI surgery is the most common treatment. Your surgeon may remove part of the small intestine that contains the cancer. Or they can perform a “passing” operation so that the food around the plant can be removed.

Even if the cancer doctor in Kolkata removes all the cancer during surgery, they may recommend radiation therapy, which uses powerful X-rays to kill cancer cells. They may also go for chemotherapy

Upper GI Cancer Surgery in Kolkata

To treat stomach cancer, the best gastrointestinal oncologist can perform:

• Total gastrectomy: The cancer surgeon removes the entire abdomen, surrounding lymph nodes and fatty tissue. Next, the surgical team connects the oesophagus to the gut. The surgeon may create a new “stomach,” or bag, by wrapping a portion of
  the intestines to facilitate more efficient digestion.
• Partial gastrectomy: It involves removal of a part of the abdomen. Doctors usually remove the lymph nodes and fatty tissue and help ensure that all cancer is gone

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