Overview

Small bowel cancer is an uncommon type of cancer that occurs in the small intestine. Your small intestine, which is also called the small bowel, is a long tube that carries digested food between your stomach and your large intestine (colon).

The small intestine is responsible for digesting and absorbing nutrients from the foods you eat. It produces hormones that help with digestion. The small intestine also plays a role in your body's germ-fighting immune system, as it contains cells that fight bacteria and viruses that enter your body through your mouth.

Types of small bowel cancer include:

• Adenocarcinoma
• Neuroendocrine tumors, including carcinoid tumors and paraganglioma
• Lymphoma
• Sarcoma, including gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST)

What treatment options are best for you depend on the type of small bowel cancer you have and its stage.