Gastrointestinal cancers are malignancies arising from the organs of the digestive tract and its accessory glands, including the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon and rectum, anus, liver, biliary tree, and pancreas. Collectively they constitute a major share of cancer incidence and mortality worldwide. Most…
Gastrointestinal cancers are malignancies arising from the organs of the digestive tract and its accessory glands, including the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon and rectum, anus, liver, biliary tree, and pancreas. Collectively they constitute a major share of cancer incidence and mortality worldwide. Most are carcinomas originating in epithelial linings, and they develop through stepwise accumulation of genetic and epigenetic alterations, often progressing from precursor lesions such as adenomatous polyps, metaplasia, or dysplasia to invasive disease. Risk is shaped by a combination of dietary patterns, tobacco and alcohol use, chronic inflammation, obesity, and infectious agents, alongside inherited predisposition syndromes. Because early tumors are frequently asymptomatic, presentation is often delayed and may include bleeding, obstruction, weight loss, and cancer-associated cachexia, contributing to the diagnostic and therapeutic difficulty characteristic of this group. Diagnosis integrates endoscopy, cross-sectional imaging, and histopathologic and molecular characterization that increasingly guides classification and treatment. Management is typically multimodal, combining surgical resection with cytotoxic chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted agents, and immunotherapy according to tumor type and stage, supported by nutritional and supportive care. Screening and early detection, particularly for colorectal cancer, together with dietary and lifestyle modification, are central to prevention and to improving outcomes across this heterogeneous spectrum of digestive-tract neoplasms.
6 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 6 articles above have been cited 27 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Gastrointestinal Cancers, linking to each citing work.