Duodenal cancer is a

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

in the first section of the small intestine known as the duodenum. Cancer of the duodenum is relatively rare compared to stomach cancer and colorectal cancer. Its histology is usually adenocarcinoma.

Familial adenomatous polyposis Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an autosomal dominant inherited condition in which numerous adenomatous polyps form mainly in the epithelium of the large intestine. While these polyps start out benign, malignant transformation into colon ...

(FAP),

Gardner syndrome Gardner's syndrome (also known as Gardner syndrome, familial polyposis of the colon, or familial colorectal polyposis) is a subtype of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Gardner syndrome is an autosomal dominant form of polyposis characterize ...

Lynch syndrome Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) or Lynch syndrome is an autosomal dominant genetic condition that is associated with a high risk of colon cancer as well as other cancers including endometrial cancer (second most common), ovary, ...

Muir–Torre syndrome Muir–Torre syndrome is a rare hereditary, autosomal dominant cancer syndrome that is thought to be a subtype of HNPCC (Lynch syndrome). Individuals are prone to develop cancers of the colon, genitourinary tract, and skin lesions, such as kerato ...

celiac disease Coeliac disease (British English) or celiac disease (American English) is a long-term autoimmune disorder, primarily affecting the small intestine, where individuals develop intolerance to gluten, present in foods such as wheat, rye and barle ...

Peutz–Jeghers syndrome Peutz–Jeghers syndrome (often abbreviated PJS) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder characterized by the development of benign hamartomatous polyps in the gastrointestinal tract and hyperpigmented macules on the lips and oral mucosa ( mela ...

, Crohn's disease and

juvenile polyposis syndrome Juvenile polyposis syndrome is an autosomal dominant genetic condition characterized by the appearance of multiple juvenile polyps in the gastrointestinal tract. Polyps are abnormal growths arising from a mucous membrane. These usually begin appe ...

are risk factors for developing this cancer. The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine. It is located between the

stomach The stomach is a muscular, hollow organ in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and many other animals, including several invertebrates. The stomach has a dilated structure and functions as a vital organ in the digestive system. The stomach i ...

and the

jejunum The jejunum is the second part of the small intestine in humans and most higher vertebrates, including mammals, reptiles, and birds. Its lining is specialised for the absorption by enterocytes of small nutrient molecules which have been previou ...

. After foods combine with stomach acid, they descend into the duodenum where they mix with bile from the

gallbladder In vertebrates, the gallbladder, also known as the cholecyst, is a small hollow organ where bile is stored and concentrated before it is released into the small intestine. In humans, the pear-shaped gallbladder lies beneath the liver, although ...

and digestive fluid from the

pancreas The pancreas is an organ of the digestive system and endocrine system of vertebrates. In humans, it is located in the abdomen behind the stomach and functions as a gland. The pancreas is a mixed or heterocrine gland, i.e. it has both an en ...

Signs and symptoms

The cancerous mass tends to block food from getting to the small intestine. If food cannot get to the intestines, it will cause pain, acid reflux, and weight loss because the food cannot get to where it is supposed to be processed and absorbed by the body. Patients with duodenal cancer may experience abdominal pain, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, and chronic gastrointestinal bleeding.

Treatment

Resection is sometimes a part of a treatment plan, but duodenal cancer is difficult to remove surgically because of the area that it resides in—there are many blood vessels supplying the lower body.

Chemotherapy Chemotherapy (often abbreviated to chemo and sometimes CTX or CTx) is a type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs ( chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen. Chemothe ...

is sometimes used to try to shrink the cancerous mass. Other times intestinal bypass surgery is tried to reroute the stomach to intestine connection around the blockage. A ' Whipple' procedure is a type of surgery that is sometimes possible with this cancer. In this procedure, the duodenum, a portion of the Pancreas (the head), and the gall bladder are usually removed, the small intestine is brought up to the Pylorus (the valve at the bottom of the stomach) and the liver and pancreatic digestive enzymes and bile are connected to the small intestine below the pylorus. The removal of part of the Pancreas often requires taking pancreatic enzyme supplements to aid digestion. These are available in the form of capsules by prescription.

References

External links

{{Digestive system neoplasia Gastrointestinal cancer