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Small Intestine Cancer Treatment (PDQ®): Treatment - Health Professional Information [NCI]

This information is produced and provided by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The information in this topic may have changed since it was written. For the most current information, contact the National Cancer Institute via the Internet web site at http://cancer.gov or call 1-800-4-CANCER.

General Information About Small Intestine Cancer

Incidence and Mortality

Estimated new cases and deaths from small intestine cancer in the United States in 2024:[1]

  • New cases: 12,440.
  • Deaths: 2,090.

Small intestine cancer types include adenocarcinoma, sarcoma, neuroendocrine tumor, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, and lymphoma. Small intestine cancer accounts for 3.5% of all digestive system malignancies.[1,2]

Follow-Up and Survivorship

As in other gastrointestinal malignancies, the predominant modality of treatment is surgery when resection is possible, and cure relates to the ability to completely resect the cancer.

Neuroendocrine tumors of the small intestine are covered elsewhere as a separate cancer entity. For more information, see Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumors Treatment.

References:

  1. American Cancer Society: Cancer Facts and Figures 2024. American Cancer Society, 2024. Available online. Last accessed June 21, 2024.
  2. National Cancer Institute: SEER Cancer Stat Facts: Small Intestine Cancer. Bethesda, Md: National Cancer Institute. Available online. Last accessed February 23, 2024.

Cellular Classification of Small Intestine Cancer

Tumors that occur in the small intestine include the following:

  • Adenocarcinoma (most cases).
  • Lymphoma (uncommon), which is usually of the non-Hodgkin type. For more information, see B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Treatment and Peripheral T-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Treatment.
  • Sarcoma (most commonly leiomyosarcoma and more rarely angiosarcoma or liposarcoma).
  • Neuroendocrine tumors. For more information, see Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumors Treatment.
  • Gastrointestinal stromal tumors. For more information, see Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors Treatment.

Approximately 25% to 50% of the primary malignant tumors in the small intestine are adenocarcinomas, and most occur in the duodenum.[1] Small intestine carcinomas may occur synchronously or metachronously at multiple sites.

Leiomyosarcomas occur most often in the ileum.

About 20% of malignant lesions of the small intestine are neuroendocrine tumors, which occur more frequently in the ileum than in the duodenum or jejunum and may be multiple.

It is uncommon to find malignant lymphoma as a solitary small intestine lesion.

References:

  1. Small Intestine. In: Amin MB, Edge SB, Greene FL, et al., eds.: AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 8th ed. Springer; 2017, pp. 221–34.

Stage Information for Small Intestine Cancer

The treatment sections of this summary are organized according to histopathological type rather than stage.

AJCC Stage Groupings and TNM Definitions

The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) has designated staging by TNM (tumor, node, metastasis) classification to define small intestine cancer. This staging classification applies only to adenocarcinomas arising in the nonampullary duodenum and small intestine. Nonadenocarcinomas arising in the small intestine should have a TNM assigned but are not assigned a stage classification.[1]

Table 1. Definitions of Primary Tumor (T)a
T CategoryT Criteria
a Reprinted with permission from AJCC: Small Intestine. In: Amin MB, Edge SB, Greene FL, et al., eds.: AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 8th ed. New York, NY: Springer, 2017, pp 221–34.
b For T3 tumors, the nonperitonealized perimuscular tissue is, for the jejunum and ileum, part of the mesentery and, for the duodenum in areas where serosa is lacking, part of the interface with the pancreas.
TXPrimary tumor cannot be assessed.
T0No evidence of primary tumor.
TisHigh-grade dysplasia/carcinomain situ.
T1Tumor invades the lamina propria or submucosa.
−T1aTumor invades the lamina propria.
−T1bTumor invades the submucosa.
T2Tumor invades the muscularis propria.
T3Tumor invades through the muscularis propria into the subserosa, or extends into nonperitonealized perimuscular tissue (mesentery or retroperitoneum) without serosal penetration.b
T4Tumor perforates the visceral peritoneum or directly invades other organs or structures (e.g., other loops of small intestine, mesentery of adjacent loops of bowel, and abdominal wall by way of serosa; for duodenum only, invasion of pancreas or bile duct).
Table 2. Definitions of Regional Lymph Node (N)a
N CategoryN Criteria
a Reprinted with permission from AJCC: Small Intestine. In: Amin MB, Edge SB, Greene FL, et al., eds.: AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 8th ed. New York, NY: Springer, 2017, pp 221–34.
NXRegional lymph nodes cannot be assessed.
N0No regional lymph node metastasis.
N1Metastasis in one or two regional lymph nodes.
N2Metastasis in three or more regional lymph nodes.
Table 3. Definitions of Distant Metastasis (M)a
M CategoryM Criteria
a Reprinted with permission from AJCC: Small Intestine. In: Amin MB, Edge SB, Greene FL, et al., eds.: AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 8th ed. New York, NY: Springer, 2017, pp 221–34.
M0No distant metastasis.
M1Distant metastasis present.
Table 4. Prognostic Stage Groups for Adenocarcinomaa
StageTNM
T = primary tumor; N = regional lymph node; M = distant metastasis.
a Reprinted with permission from AJCC: Small Intestine. In: Amin MB, Edge SB, Greene FL, et al., eds.: AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 8th ed. New York, NY: Springer, 2017, pp 221–34.
0TisN0M0
IT1−2N0M0
IIAT3N0M0
IIBT4N0M0
IIIAAny TN1M0
IIIBAny TN2M0
IVAny TAny NM1

References:

  1. Small Intestine. In: Amin MB, Edge SB, Greene FL, et al., eds.: AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 8th ed. Springer; 2017, pp. 221–34.

Treatment of Small Intestine Adenocarcinoma

Treatment options:

  1. For resectable primary disease:
    • Radical surgical resection.[1,2]
  2. For unresectable primary disease:
    • Surgical bypass of obstructing lesion.
    • Palliative radiation therapy.
    • Clinical trials evaluating methods to improve local control, such as the use of radiation therapy with radiosensitizers with or without systemic chemotherapy.
  3. For unresectable metastatic disease:
    • Clinical trials evaluating the value of new anticancer drugs and biological therapy (phase I and phase II studies).

Current Clinical Trials

Use our advanced clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are now enrolling patients. The search can be narrowed by location of the trial, type of treatment, name of the drug, and other criteria. General information about clinical trials is also available.

References:

  1. Rose DM, Hochwald SN, Klimstra DS, et al.: Primary duodenal adenocarcinoma: a ten-year experience with 79 patients. J Am Coll Surg 183 (2): 89-96, 1996.
  2. North JH, Pack MS: Malignant tumors of the small intestine: a review of 144 cases. Am Surg 66 (1): 46-51, 2000.

Treatment of Small Intestine Leiomyosarcoma

Treatment options:

  1. For resectable primary disease:
    • Radical surgical resection.
  2. For unresectable primary disease:
    • Surgical bypass of obstructing lesion and radiation therapy.
    • Clinical trials evaluating the value of new anticancer drugs and biological therapy.
  3. For unresectable metastatic disease:
    • Palliative surgery.
    • Palliative radiation therapy.
    • Palliative chemotherapy.
    • Clinical trials evaluating the value of new anticancer drugs and biological therapy.

Current Clinical Trials

Use our advanced clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are now enrolling patients. The search can be narrowed by location of the trial, type of treatment, name of the drug, and other criteria. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Treatment of Recurrent Small Intestine Cancer

Treatment options:

  1. For metastatic adenocarcinoma or leiomyosarcoma:
    • No standard effective chemotherapy exists for patients with recurrent metastatic adenocarcinoma or leiomyosarcoma of the small intestine. These patients should consider enrolling in phase I or II clinical trials evaluating new anticancer drugs or biological therapy.
  2. For locally recurrent disease:
    • Surgery.
    • Palliative radiation therapy.
    • Palliative chemotherapy.
    • Clinical trials evaluating ways of improving local control, such as the use of radiation therapy with radiosensitizers with or without systemic chemotherapy.

Current Clinical Trials

Use our advanced clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are now enrolling patients. The search can be narrowed by location of the trial, type of treatment, name of the drug, and other criteria. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Latest Updates to This Summary (02 / 23 / 2024)

The PDQ cancer information summaries are reviewed regularly and updated as new information becomes available. This section describes the latest changes made to this summary as of the date above.

General Information About Small Intestine Cancer

Updated statistics with estimated new cases and deaths for 2024 (cited American Cancer Society as reference 1).

This summary is written and maintained by the PDQ Adult Treatment Editorial Board, which is editorially independent of NCI. The summary reflects an independent review of the literature and does not represent a policy statement of NCI or NIH. More information about summary policies and the role of the PDQ Editorial Boards in maintaining the PDQ summaries can be found on the About This PDQ Summary and PDQ® Cancer Information for Health Professionals pages.

About This PDQ Summary

Purpose of This Summary

This PDQ cancer information summary for health professionals provides comprehensive, peer-reviewed, evidence-based information about the treatment of small intestine cancer. It is intended as a resource to inform and assist clinicians in the care of their patients. It does not provide formal guidelines or recommendations for making health care decisions.

Reviewers and Updates

This summary is reviewed regularly and updated as necessary by the PDQ Adult Treatment Editorial Board, which is editorially independent of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The summary reflects an independent review of the literature and does not represent a policy statement of NCI or the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Board members review recently published articles each month to determine whether an article should:

  • be discussed at a meeting,
  • be cited with text, or
  • replace or update an existing article that is already cited.

Changes to the summaries are made through a consensus process in which Board members evaluate the strength of the evidence in the published articles and determine how the article should be included in the summary.

The lead reviewers for Small Intestine Cancer Treatment are:

  • Amit Chowdhry, MD, PhD (University of Rochester Medical Center)
  • Valerie Lee, MD (Johns Hopkins University)
  • Leon Pappas, MD, PhD (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute)

Any comments or questions about the summary content should be submitted to Cancer.gov through the NCI website's Email Us. Do not contact the individual Board Members with questions or comments about the summaries. Board members will not respond to individual inquiries.

Levels of Evidence

Some of the reference citations in this summary are accompanied by a level-of-evidence designation. These designations are intended to help readers assess the strength of the evidence supporting the use of specific interventions or approaches. The PDQ Adult Treatment Editorial Board uses a formal evidence ranking system in developing its level-of-evidence designations.

Permission to Use This Summary

PDQ is a registered trademark. Although the content of PDQ documents can be used freely as text, it cannot be identified as an NCI PDQ cancer information summary unless it is presented in its entirety and is regularly updated. However, an author would be permitted to write a sentence such as "NCI's PDQ cancer information summary about breast cancer prevention states the risks succinctly: [include excerpt from the summary]."

The preferred citation for this PDQ summary is:

PDQ® Adult Treatment Editorial Board. PDQ Small Intestine Cancer Treatment. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Updated <MM/DD/YYYY>. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/small-intestine/hp/small-intestine-treatment-pdq. Accessed <MM/DD/YYYY>. [PMID: 26389423]

Images in this summary are used with permission of the author(s), artist, and/or publisher for use within the PDQ summaries only. Permission to use images outside the context of PDQ information must be obtained from the owner(s) and cannot be granted by the National Cancer Institute. Information about using the illustrations in this summary, along with many other cancer-related images, is available in Visuals Online, a collection of over 2,000 scientific images.

Disclaimer

Based on the strength of the available evidence, treatment options may be described as either "standard" or "under clinical evaluation." These classifications should not be used as a basis for insurance reimbursement determinations. More information on insurance coverage is available on Cancer.gov on the Managing Cancer Care page.

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Last Revised: 2024-02-23

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