Prevention and treatment of digestive tract tumors
What is gastrointestinal cancer?
Gastrointestinal cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in any section of the digestive tract , mainly affecting the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon or rectum. These cellular changes alter the normal functioning of the affected organ and the patient's health, and can even cause death.
Are all tumors cancer?
Tumors are the result of abnormal cell growth anywhere in the body and are classified as benign or malignant based on biopsy analysis.
Only malignant tumors are considered cancer .
What are cancer precursor lesions?
Cancer precursor lesions refer to those cellular changes that have a high probability of progressing to carcinoma. Some of these changes may be inflammatory and remain so over time, without developing malignancy; in other cases, these inflammatory changes may degenerate the cell and progress to cancer. Precursor lesions of the gastrointestinal tract
Gastrointestinal tumors are atrophy, metaplasia, dysplasia or polyps and when they are found in a person during an endoscopic examination , it is possible to perform preventive or curative treatment in the initial stages.
How is cancer diagnosed?
Changes in the tissues of the digestive tract are identified during endoscopic examinations and confirmed by biopsy (small fragments of tissue removed during endoscopy or colonoscopy and examined under a microscope).
Is digestive tract cancer preventable?
Yes, it is preventable. In the case of stomach cancer, there are known risk factors such as the presence of Helicobacter Pylori infection and certain dietary habits or social customs such as alcohol consumption and smoking, which can be corrected and prevent the development of the disease; other risk factors are not preventable, such as a family history of gastric cancer. In the case of colon and rectal cancer, when polyp-type lesions are found, removing them prevents the formation of cancer.
How are precursor lesions to cancer monitored or controlled?
When cancer precursor lesions such as polyps are diagnosed, they are usually removed during colonoscopy. Depending on the size, number of lesions and the biopsy result, a periodic routine of control examinations is established to monitor the appearance of new lesions and remove them in a timely manner. In the case of lesions such as atrophy, metaplasia or dysplasia, endoscopic monitoring is established, with the purpose of monitoring their evolution and removing any tumor in its early stages during the same procedure.
What are the alternatives for cancer treatment?
The main way to treat cancer is to remove the lesion , either during the endoscopic procedure or, if the technique does not allow it, through surgical resection. If the lesion is in its initial or early phase, a resection of the affected gastrointestinal mucosa can be performed during the endoscopy ; however, when the lesions are more advanced , surgery with partial or total resection of the affected organ may be required , and, in turn, treatment may be supplemented with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. After treatment, medical follow-up and control with examinations continue.