The clinical features of 16 cases of primary adenocarcinoma of the third portion of duodenum / 中华内科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To summarize the clinical features of the third portion of duodenum (PATD) for improving the understanding of PATD.Methods Sixteen cases with PATD in Peking Union Medical College Hospital(PUMCH) were retrospectively analyzed.Results The most common symptoms of PATD were upper abdominal pain(12/16),vomiting (9/16) and distention (7/16).On average,the disease had progressed 5.5 months (including 2.5 months of diagnostic workup) before the diagnosis was established.Patients with pathologically poorly differentiated PATD had shorter course of disease (6.5 vs 16.6 months,P =0.56) and lower chance of cancer-directed surgery (1/8 vs 6/8,P =0.04) than those with well differentiated PATD.The diagnostic rate was 11/14 by CT scan while only 2/7 by upper gastrointestinal radiography.Three cases were misdiagnosed as superior mesenteric artery syndrome by barium examination.Conclusions PATD should be considered in patients presenting upper abdominal symptoms with negative gastmendoscopy and barium examination.Overall,CT scan plays a pivotal role in diagnosing PATD.Making a correct diagnosis timely can improve the outcome of PATD patients,particularly,in those with poorly differentiated pathology.