Key Statistics for Small Intestine Cancer
Although the small intestine makes up the largest part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, small intestine cancers are rare in the United States. In fact, they account for fewer than 1 in 10 cancers of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and fewer than 1 in 100 cancers overall.
The American Cancer Society estimates for these cancers in the United States for 2024 are:
- About 13,920 people will be diagnosed with some type of small intestine cancer.
- About 2,060 people will die of small intestine cancer.
Cancers of the small intestine tend to occur more often in older people. They are most often found in people in their 60s and 70s.
Visit the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Statistics Center for more key statistics.
- Written by
- References
The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as editors and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2025. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2025. Available at https://www.cancer.org/research/cancer-facts-statistics/all-cancer-facts-figures/2025-cancer-facts-figures.html
Chamberlain RS, Krishnaraj M, Shah SA. Chapter 54: Cancer of the Small Bowel. In: DeVita VT, Lawrence TS, Rosenberg SA, eds. DeVita, Hellman, and Rosenberg’s Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2015.
Doyon L, Greenstein A, Greenstein A. Chapter 76: Cancer of the Small Bowel. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Doroshow JH, Kastan MB, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff’s Clinical Oncology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier; 2014.
National Cancer Institute. SEER Cancer Stat Facts: Small Intestine Cancer. Accessed at http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/smint.html on January 4, 2018.
Overman MJ, Kunitake H. Epidemiology, clinical features, and types of small bowel neoplasms. UpToDate. Accessed at www.uptodate.com/contents/epidemiology-clinical-features-and-types-of-small-bowel-neoplasms on January 4, 2018.
Last Revised: January 16, 2025
American Cancer Society medical information is copyrighted material. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.
American Cancer Society Emails
Sign up to stay up-to-date with news, valuable information, and ways to get involved with the American Cancer Society.
