Gastrointestinal cancer

Bile ducts are part of the digestive system and are the tubes that link the liver and gallbladder to the small bowel. They transport bile, which helps break down the fat in our food.

Bile duct cancer (also called cholangiocarcinoma) develops in part of the bile duct lining. Abnormal cells start to multiply. They can spread into other areas including the gallbladder or pancreas.

Bowel cancer starts in the inner lining of the bowel wall. It most commonly starts from a polyp growing in the colon or rectum but sometimes arises independently. The bowel includes the small and large intestines. The large intestine includes the colon and the rectum. 

Gallbladder cancer is cancer of the biliary tract, part of the digestive system. It is one of the rarer types of cancer.

• The gallbladder stores bile made in the liver before it’s passed into the small bowel. The bile helps food digestion. It passes through a tube called the common bile duct which connects the gallbladder and liver to the small intestine.
• Gallbladder cancer happens when tissues in the lining of the gallbladder become abnormal and multiply. The most common type is adenocarcinoma – starting in glandular cells in the gallbladder lining.
• Unfortunately, by the time most people are diagnosed with gallbladder cancer, the tumour is often too large to remove surgically or has spread to other areas of the body. This makes it very difficult to treat.

Gallbladder cancer is cancer of the biliary tract, part of the digestive system. It is one of the rarer types of cancer.

• The gallbladder stores bile made in the liver before it’s passed into the small bowel. The bile helps food digestion. It passes through a tube called the common bile duct which connects the gallbladder and liver to the small intestine.
• Gallbladder cancer happens when tissues in the lining of the gallbladder become abnormal and multiply. The most common type is adenocarcinoma – starting in glandular cells in the gallbladder lining.
• Unfortunately, by the time most people are diagnosed with gallbladder cancer, the tumour is often too large to remove surgically or has spread to other areas of the body. This makes it very difficult to treat.

The liver is the largest internal organ of the human body, weighing around 1.5kg in the average adult. It is positioned on the upper right side of the abdomen, just below the rib cage.

Oesophageal cancer forms in the inner lining of the oesophageal wall. The oesophagus or food pipe is the tube that carries food and liquids from your mouth to your stomach.

Pancreatic cancer usually develops in the head or body of the pancreas. Tumours may affect how the pancreas works as a secretory organ, interfering with the production of digestive juices and vital hormones, such as insulin.

Stomach cancer starts when abnormal cells develop in the stomach and form tumours. These tumours can start anywhere in the stomach but are most common in the stomach lining.