Classification of small intestine cancer is done according to what types of cells identified. The four types of small intestine cancer are:
Adenocarcinoma
The most common form of small intestine cancer is adenocarcinoma (cancer of gland cells), which is usually found in the lining of the organ. These growths account for nearly 40 percent of all cancers of the small intestine. They occur most often in the duodenum.
Lymphoma
A lymphoma grows from the small intestine's lymph tissue. Immune-system cells are made and stored in the lymph glands and nodes, which extend throughout the body. Tumors arising from these cells account for about 17 percent of small intestine cancers and occur most often in the ileum. Most of these tumors are non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.
Sarcoma
Leiomyosarcoma is the most common form of sarcoma found in the small intestine. It accounts for 14 percent of small intestine malignancies. These tumors grow in the organ's smooth muscle lining and usually occur in the ileum. Angiosarcoma, which grows from the blood or lymph vessels, is a rarer form of sarcoma. These growths sometimes occur if the body has been exposed to radiation. Liposarcoma is also rare and develops from fat tissue.
Carcinoids
The small intestine contains cells that form part of the diffuse neuroendocrine system. These cells are similar to nerve cells and the cells of hormone-producing glands. In the small intestine, they help regulate the release of digestive juices, control the speed at which food travels through the organ and may help control the growth of other gastrointestinal cells. Neuroendocrine cells can also be found in other organs such as the stomach and lungs. Like most cells, they can grow to form tumors. These tumors are called carcinoids. They account for about 20 percent of small intestine growths and develop in the ileum more often than the duodenum or jejunum.
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