GI Cancer Explained

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, liver, pancreas, stomach, small intestine, bowel (large intestine or colon and rectum), and anus.

GI cancer is the most common form of cancer. More than 24,000 Australians are diagnosed with it each year and 33 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 27%, bowel 67% – and only 7% of people diagnosed with  pancreatic cancer live more than five years.
• In 2012, more than 12,000 people died of gastro-intestinal cancers —more than twice the 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.