Upper Gastro Intestinal Cancer
Around 3500 Australians get upper gastro intestinal (UGI) cancer every year.
UGI cancers happen when cells in the lining of the oesophagus and stomach grow quickly and out of control forming a tumour.
The cells can spread into other parts of the body. These secondary tumours are called metastases.
The UGI tract is a long organ that starts in the neck and goes through the chest into the upper abdomen.
Tumours cause different problems depending on where they are in the UGI tract. They also need different treatments.
UGI cancer in the neck or chest can have early symptoms but some stomach cancers don’t. UGI cancers that have spread are hard to cure.
Radiation Therapy and UGI Cancer
The best person to talk to about radiation therapy for UGI cancer is a radiation oncologist. A radiation oncologist is a specialist doctor who is part of the team that takes care of people having radiation therapy.
You can ask your doctor for a referral to a radiation oncologist to learn if radiation therapy is an option for you.
The Treatment Team
Doctors make a treatment plan for each person based on:
- the type of cancer
- where the cancer is
- other treatments tried
- the person’s health.
The type of treatment a person gets is worked out by a team of doctors and health professionals often called a Multidisciplinary Team.
A highly trained radiation oncology team takes care of people having radiation therapy. This includes radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, medical physicists and radiation oncology nurses.
Treatments for UGI Cancer
If the cancer is found very early, then surgery may be the only thing needed to treat the cancer.
If the cancer is more advanced, doctors may use drug treatment, radiation therapy and surgery.
If surgery is not an option, drug treatments, with or without radiation therapy, can slow the cancer down or stop it spreading.
Types of Radiation Therapy Used in UGI Cancer
Radiation therapy for oesophagus cancer is often done with chemotherapy before an operation, to make it easier for the doctor to remove the cancer.
Some people may also need chemotherapy after the operation to reduce the chances of the cancer coming back.
For some people with oesophagus cancer chemotherapy and radiation, without surgery, may be a better choice.
Radiation therapy is rarely used for stomach cancer, which is often treated with surgery, or surgery and chemotherapy.
Radiation therapy is the best treatment for people having troubles swallowing. It’s also helpful for people who can’t have other treatments and for those who have cancer that has spread.
Radiation therapy is also good for managing bleeding from tumours.
General Side Effects of Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is more effective with fewer side effects than ever before.
Recent advances mean radiation oncologists can effectively target the cancer while getting less radiation on healthy body parts. This has reduced side effects a lot.
Side effects from radiation therapy vary between people, even for those having the same treatment.
While some people feel no side effects, most will feel some mild side effects during and/or just after treatment. These usually get better after a few weeks.
A small number of patients experience more serious and/or long-term side effects.
The radiation oncologist will talk to you about side effects and answer any questions before treatment.
The side effects of radiation treatment can be split into 2 groups:
- Early side effects which occur during and shortly after radiation treatment.
- Late side effects which can occur months to years after radiation treatment
For more information, go to the Potential Side Effects page.
Early Side Effects of Radiation Therapy on UGI Cancer
The side effects of radiation therapy for UGI cancer are usually limited to the area treated. They generally stop 6 weeks after treatment ends.
Swelling of the oesophagus: This is common and cause pain and trouble swallowing. It is easily treated with liquid pain killers.
Nutrition: People who struggle to eat because of the tumour or treatment may require a feeding tube.
Nausea/vomiting and reduced appetite: This is common if the treatment is in the lower chest or upper stomach. The doctor may offer anti-sickness medications to help.
Breathing problems, cough and skin irritation: Some people have these side effects.
Fatigue: This is very common and often gets better within 6 weeks, though it may last longer for some.
During radiation treatment doctors encourage people to do gentle exercise and rest when they need to.
Late Side Effects of Radiation Therapy on UGI Cancer
Late side effects vary between people and can happen a few months to a few years after treatment.
These side effects may occur once, continue over time, or come and go.
Spinal cord damage: This is very rare and may cause tingling. Radiation oncologists take care to keep the radiation dose to the spinal cord very low.
Second cancer: Cancers caused by radiation therapy are a very rare side effect.
Other Useful Resources for UGI Cancer
Find additional information about cancer types, research groups, and support groups.
Radiation Oncologist
The best person to talk to is a radiation oncologist. You can ask your doctor for a referral to find out if radiation treatment is right for you.
GPs and Health Professionals
Information for any health professional involved in a patient's cancer care with a particular focus on primary care providers.
Talking to Your Doctor
Your GP or other doctors in the cancer team can organise a referral to a radiation oncologist.
Treatment Centres
Search and find your closest Radiation Oncology Treatment Centre.
