Abdominal Cancer

Abdominal Cancer Explained

Abdominal cancer refers to a variety of cancers affecting digestive system organs, including the stomach, liver, large intestine, small intestine, pancreas, gallbladder, esophagus, and rectum. It occurs when damaged or old cells divide and multiply quickly, resulting in a malignant mass tumor.

According to The Ohio State University, more than 250,000 cases of gastrointestinal cancer, or abdominal cancer, are diagnosed annually in the United States, which accounts for approximately 20 percent of newly diagnosed cancers in the U.S.

Abdominal Cancer Treatment Options

Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is a common diagnostic procedure that screens for abdominal cancers. A less invasive diagnostic procedure, the double-contrast barium swallow, might also be used to diagnose gastrointestinal cancers. Your family history, symptoms, and other criteria will also contribute to your doctor's diagnosis.

Baptist Cancer Center's doctors and specialists will devise a treatment plan that considers many factors, including your lifestyle, as well as the type and stage of your gastrointestinal cancer. Abdominal cancer treatment may include a combination of the following:

• Chemotherapy
• Dietary counseling
• Pain medications
• Palliative care
• Participation in a clinical trial to test promising new therapies and treatments
• Physical therapy to help strengthen the body during and after treatment
• Radiation
• Surgery to remove a cancerous tumor or an intestinal obstruction
• Molecular therapy for specific tumors

The Different Types of Abdominal Cancer

There are several abdominal cancer types, including: