Gastrointestinal Cancers
Colorectal cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the large intestine. The term colon cancer refers to cancer that develops in the colon, the longest part of the large intestine. The term rectal cancer refers to cancer that develops in the rectum, the final straight part of the large intestine that ends in the anus. Colorectal cancer is the most common cancer in Europe and the third most common cancer worldwide. Colorectal cancer is more frequent in men than in women. Most patients with colorectal cancer are more than 60 years old at the time of the diagnosis, and colorectal cancer below the age of 40 years is rare.
Oesophageal cancer is a tumor that forms in tissue lining the oesophagus, the muscular tube through which food passes from the throat to the stomach. The two main types of esophageal cancer are squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Both types occur at about the same frequency.
Pancreatobiliary Cancer: The biliary system consists of the organs and duct system that create, transport, store, and release bile into the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine) for digestion. The pancreas produces two substances: juices that help break down (digest/exocrine) the food, and hormones (such as insulin/endocrine) that regulate how the body stores and uses food. Over 90 percent ofcancers of the pancreas are found in the tissues of the exocrine pancreas. Treatment options are very limited.
Gastric cancer: Also called stomach cancer. Most gastric cancers start from cells in the inner layer of the stomach (the mucosa) which normally make and release mucus and other fluids. These cancers are called adenocarcinomas and represent about 90% of stomach cancers. Worldwide, stomach cancer is most common in East Asia, parts of South America and Eastern Europe. It is less common in Western Europe even though stomach cancer is the fifth most frequent cancer in Europe. It is approximately twice as frequent in men as it is in women. It is most often diagnosed around the age of 60.
Clinical trials
A ‘clinical trial’ is a research study in which people agree to test a potential new treatment to prevent or improve a disease or medical condition. A clinical trial also looks at how participants react to the potential new treatment and if any unwanted effects occur. This helps to determine if the new investigational treatment works, is safe, and is better than those that are already available. Many clinical trials also compare existing treatments or test new ways to use or combine existing treatments.
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