Surgical procedure depending on the depth of tumor invasion in duodenal cancer

Duodenal cancer excluding Vater's papilla cancer is a relatively rare disease entity; therefore, the most appropriate operative methods depending on the tumor condition, such as the tumor site and/or depth of invasion, still remain unclear. The aim of this study is to determine an appropriate operative method and an appropriate extent of lymph node dissection depending on tumor site or tumor invasion depth. Data of a total of 35 patients with duodenal cancer who underwent resectional surgery with curative intent were reviewed retrospectively, and the clinicopathological factors and survival outcomes were investigated. Overall 5-year survival rates of all resected cases were 63.0% (median survival: 9.1 years). Multivariate analysis identified histological G3/4 (P = 0.002) and presence of lymph node metastasis (P = 0.004) as independent adverse prognostic factors. Of the 35 patients, 11 (31.4%) had lymph node metastasis. In all patients with the tumor invasion depth within limited to the mucosa or submucosa (T1a or T1b), lymph node metastasis was absent (0/15 patients). T2/3/4 tumor (P < 0.001) and G3/4 (P = 0.021) were identified as predictors of the presence of lymph node metastasis. Four (11.4%) of the 35 patients had metastasis in the infrapyloric node. Limited resection is sufficient for patients with T1a tumor. In the case of T1b tumor, limited resection or pancreatoduodenectomy may be selected after performing pancreaticoduodenal node biopsy as sentinel lymph node biopsy. For patients with T2-4 tumor, pancreatoduodenectomy or substomach preserving pancreatoduodenectomy (excepting Pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy) with regional lymph node dissection should be performed.