Eighteen primary duodenal tumors, including 11 malignant and 8 benign, are presented, stressing their poorly defined natural history and rare frequency. The most common histological diagnosis was adenocarcinoma. There were 6 adenocarcinomas, 2 carcinoids, 1 linfoma, 1 anaplastic and 1 neuroectodermic carcinoma. Benign lesions were occasionally found during a gastroduodenal or a biliary surgery (n = 4) and during the autopsies (n = 3). They consisted of lipomas (n = 4), adenomatous polyps (n = 2) and leiomyoma (n = 1). Concerning the malignant lesions, 6 pancreaticoduodenectomies, 3 duodenojejunal segmentary resection and one paliation consisting of gastrojejunostomy and biopsy were performed. One carcinoid lesion was found at the duodenal bulb during a gastroduodenectomy for a gastric ulcer. Pancreaticoduodenectomy can be done with acceptable risk and it seems that patients with duodenal adenocarcinoma are more likely to survive longer after radical surgery than those with cancer of the head of pancreas. Every patient of this series treated by pancreaticoduodenectomy or duodenojejunal segmentary resection had an uneventful recovery and the follow-up ranged from 16 months to 7 years. As for the duodenal carcinoids, local resection is usually followed by recurrence, so an agressive surgical management is the best approach. Benign tumors must be treated by local excision when disclosed.
Duodenal cancer; Treatment; Small intestinal tumors
