Small Bowel Cancer

Treatment

Treatment for small bowel cancer may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, other drugs, or investigational care provided through clinical trials.

Treatment team recommendations are based on several factors, including:

• Location and size of the tumor
• Stage of the cancer
• How far the cancer has spread
• Overall health of the patient

Surgery

Surgery offers the best chance of curing most forms of small bowel cancer. Physicians may use intraoperative ultrasound during surgery to locate areas of cancerous tissue. During the surgery, physicians may also remove nearby lymph nodes (lymph node dissection) to check for signs the disease has spread.

Sometimes surgeons can perform a minimally invasive technique known as laparoscopic surgery. Using a camera and miniature instruments inserted through tiny incisions in the abdomen, they remove the segment of cancerous bowel along with nearby lymph nodes that may be involved. Patients who have laparoscopic surgery typically have an easier recovery.

When a tumor occurs in the duodenum near the entrance of the bile duct, the doctor may recommend a pancreatoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure).

Radiation Therapy

When surgery is not an option, radiation therapy and chemotherapy can be used in some cases. Mayo physicians work together to develop an effective treatment plan.

Chemotherapy

When a small bowel cancer has spread to other organs chemotherapy may be an option. Chemotherapy is not suitable for every situation, and its effectiveness in small bowel cancer is still being researched. As part of an ongoing commitment to finding new and better therapies for patients with small bowel cancer, Mayo Clinic oncologists periodically conduct clinical trials.

Other Therapies

Various drugs and other recently developed therapies are available to treat different types of small bowel cancer. Some treatments are directed at specific parts of the body, such as the liver (when the cancer has spread); others are more general. Treatment recommendations to help control the cancer and its related symptoms are based on each individual's situation.