Signs and symptoms of small bowel cancer include:  Abdominal pain Yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jaundice) Feeling unusually weak or tired Nausea Vomiting Losing weight without trying Blood in the stool, which might appear red or black Watery diarrhea Skin flushing  Causes Doctors aren't certain what causes most small bowel cancers. In general, small bowel cancer begins when healthy cells in the small bowel develop changes (mutations) in their DNA. A cell's DNA contains a set of instructions that tell a cell what to do. Healthy cells grow and divide in an orderly way to keep your body functioning normally. But when a cell's DNA is damaged and becomes cancerous, cells continue to divide — even when new cells aren't needed. As these cells accumulate, they form a tumor. With time, the cancer cells can grow to invade and destroy normal tissue nearby. And cancerous cells can spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. Risk factors Factors that may increase the risk of small bowel cancer include:  Gene mutations passed through families. Some gene mutations that are inherited from your parents can increase your risk of small bowel cancer and other cancers. Examples include Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. Other bowel diseases. Other diseases and conditions that affect the intestines may increase the risk of small bowel cancer, including Crohn's disease, inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease. Weakened immune system. If your body's germ-fighting immune system is weakened, you may have an increased risk of small bowel cancer. Examples include people with HIV infection and those who take anti-rejection medicine after an organ transplant.  Complications Small bowel cancer can cause complications, including:  An increased risk of other cancers. People who have small bowel cancer run a higher risk of having other types of cancers, including those that affect the colon, rectum, ovaries and the lining of the uterus (endometrium). Cancer that spreads to other parts of the body. Advanced small bowel cancer can spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body, most often the liver.  Prevention It's not clear what may help to reduce the risk of small bowel cancer, since it's very uncommon. If you're interested in reducing your risk of cancer in general, it may help to:  Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains contain vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants, which may help reduce your risk of cancer and other diseases. Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables so that you get an array of vitamins and nutrients. Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. If you choose to drink alcohol, limit the amount of alcohol you drink to no more than one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than age 65, and up to two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger. Stop smoking. Talk to your doctor about ways to quit that may work for you. Exercise most days of the week. Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days. If you've been inactive, start slowly and build up gradually to 30 minutes. Also, talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program. Maintain a healthy weight. If you are at a healthy weight, work to maintain your weight by combining a healthy diet with daily exercise. If you need to lose weight, ask your doctor about healthy ways to achieve your goal. Aim to lose weight slowly by increasing the amount of exercise you get and reducing the number of calories you eat.                   By Mayo Clinic Staff By Mayo Clinic Staff  Small bowel cancer care at Mayo Clinic 
signs symptoms small bowel cancer include:  abdominal pain yellowing skin whites eyes (jaundice) feeling unusually weak tired nausea vomiting losing weight trying blood stool  red black watery diarrhea skin flushing  causes doctors aren't causes small bowel cancers  general  small bowel cancer begins healthy cells small bowel develop changes (mutations) dna  cell's dna contains set instructions tell cell do  healthy cells grow divide orderly way keep body functioning normally  cell's dna damaged cancerous  cells continue divide — new cells aren't needed  cells accumulate  form tumor  time  cancer cells can grow invade destroy normal tissue nearby  cancerous cells can spread (metastasize) parts body  risk factors factors may increase risk small bowel cancer include:  gene mutations passed families  gene mutations inherited parents can increase risk small bowel cancer cancers  examples include lynch syndrome  familial adenomatous polyposis (fap) peutz-jeghers syndrome  bowel diseases  diseases conditions affect intestines may increase risk small bowel cancer  including crohn's disease  inflammatory bowel disease celiac disease  weakened immune system  body's germ-fighting immune system weakened  may increased risk small bowel cancer  examples include people hiv infection who take anti-rejection medicine organ transplant   complications small bowel cancer can cause complications  including:  increased risk cancers  people who small bowel cancer run higher risk types cancers  including affect colon  rectum  ovaries lining uterus (endometrium)  cancer spreads parts body  advanced small bowel cancer can spread (metastasize) parts body  liver   prevention it's clear may help reduce risk small bowel cancer  it's uncommon  you're interested reducing risk cancer general  may help to:  eat variety fruits  vegetables whole grains  fruits  vegetables whole grains contain vitamins  minerals  fiber antioxidants  may help reduce risk cancer diseases  choose variety fruits vegetables array vitamins nutrients  drink alcohol moderation  all  choose drink alcohol  limit amount alcohol drink drink day women ages men older age 65  drinks day men age 65 younger  smoking  talk doctor ways quit may work you  exercise days week  try least 30 minutes exercise days  you've inactive  start slowly build gradually 30 minutes  also  talk doctor starting exercise program  maintain healthy weight  healthy weight  work maintain weight combining healthy diet daily exercise  need lose weight  ask doctor healthy ways achieve goal  aim lose weight slowly increasing amount exercise reducing number calories eat                    mayo clinic staff mayo clinic staff  small bowel cancer care mayo clinic 
small bowel cancer