GI Cancer Explained
Gastro-Intestinal (GI) cancer is a term for the group of cancers that affect the digestive system. This includes cancers of the oesophagus, gallbladder & biliary tract, liver, pancreas, stomach, small intestine, bowel (large intestine or colon and rectum), and anus.
GI cancer is the most common form of cancer. Around 28,900 Australians are diagnosed with it each year and 38 Australians die of it each day.
GI cancers do not discriminate between men and women.
The GI Cancer Institute aims to fundraise for, and raise awareness about GI cancer. It’s important that we improve survival rates for GI cancer.
- Our survival rates are lower than for other more well known cancers. The five-year survival rate of people with cancer of the stomach is 29%, bowel 69% – and only 8.7% of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer live more than five years.
- In 2018, it was estimated that 13,809 people would die from gastro-intestinal cancers —more than twice the estimated combined total for breast and prostate cancers.
Our clinical trials are designed to find better treatments.
Treatment for GI cancer will depend on the type of cancer, the stage or its development, and other health factors. Treatment commonly includes surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Types of GI Cancer
More information on each of the 10 gastro-intestinal cancers is available below. You can also browse our resources or learn more about our clinical trials and research to find better treatments for GI cancers.