Small Bowel Cancer

Small bowel cancer is a type of cancer that starts as a growth of cells in the small intestine. The small intestine, also called the small bowel, is a long tube that carries digested food between the stomach and the large intestine.

The small intestine digests and absorbs nutrients from the foods you eat. It produces hormones that help with digestion. The small intestine also plays a role in the body’s germ-fighting immune system. It contains cells that fight bacteria and viruses that enter the body through the mouth.

Small bowel cancer treatment usually involves surgery to remove the cancer. Other treatments include chemotherapy and targeted therapy, which use medicines to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy also may be used to shrink the cancer before surgery.