Small Intestine Cancer Symptoms and Signs

November 22, 2024

This page was reviewed under our medical and editorial policy by Laleh Melstrom, M.D., M.S., associate professor of surgery and immuno-oncology, Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, City of Hope^® Cancer Center Duarte

Small intestine cancer, also known as small bowel cancer, may have a number of symptoms and signs.

In general, symptoms are indicators of a disease that people may feel for themselves, while signs are those that a doctor measures.

When it comes to small intestine cancer, abdominal pain is an example of a symptom; an example of a sign would be anemia, an abnormally low number of red blood cells.

Symptoms of Small Intestine Cancer

Some of the more common signs and symptoms of small intestine cancer may include:

• Abdominal pain
• Stool that looks dark and tarry, or has bright red spots (due to intestinal bleeding)
• Unexplained weight loss
• Nausea and vomiting
• A lump in the abdomen
• Anemia (which sometimes causes symptoms, like fatigue and weakness)

Not everyone with small intestine cancer has all of those red flags. Typically, people develop abdominal pain as the first symptom — often a crampy feeling that may come and go, rather than remain constant. Over time, the pain may worsen as the tumor grows. If the tumor becomes large enough, it may completely obstruct the intestine, which leads to pain with severe nausea and vomiting.

In some cases, a tumor in the duodenum (uppermost part of the intestine) may block the bile duct that empties the contents of the liver into the intestine. That, in turn, may lead to jaundice — a yellowing of the skin and eyes. In rare cases, a tumor may create a hole (or perforation) in the intestinal wall, spilling contents of the intestine into the abdominal cavity and causing symptoms, such as sudden severe pain, nausea and vomiting.

It is important to note that the signs and symptoms of small intestine cancer are often vague and may be caused by other, more common conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, stomach ulcers, colon polyps and inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease).

People with the symptoms described above should consult their doctor. A thorough medical evaluation may help to pinpoint the root cause.