What Prognostic Factors Are Important in Duodenal Adenocarcinoma?

Abstract

THE PROGNOSTIC importance of various demographic and histopathological factors in duodenal adenocarcinoma has been a subject of controversy in the literature. Nodal metastases, margins of resection, and depth of invasion, although of definite prognostic importance in many malignant neoplasms, have not consistently been shown to be of prognostic significance in duodenal adenocarcinoma. By virtue of the unique anatomy of the duodenum, the role of other factors such as tumor location and type of resection is also uncertain. These considerations are not surprising, since duodenal adenocarcinoma is a rare malignant neoplasm representing approximately 0.3% of all gastrointestinal tract cancers.^1,2 Hence, many previous studies were limited by small patient numbers, prompting recent efforts to address this problem using larger cohorts.^3-5 To better define the correlation between clinical, pathological, and treatment variables and outcome in patients with duodenal adenocarcinoma, we analyzed our institutional experience over a 20-year period.