Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesSymptomsCausesRisk FactorsDiagnosisTreatmentPrognosisCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Symptoms
Causes
Risk Factors
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prognosis
Coping
What Is the Function of the Duodenum?
The duodenum is the first of three segments of the small intestine; the other segments are the jejunum and the ileum. The duodenum receives food from the stomach and digestive juices from the pancreas and gallbladder.
The digestive juices begin the process of digestion in the duodenum, breaking down ingested food from the stomach so that nutrients can be absorbed in the small intestine.
Sebastian Kaulitzki / Science Photo Library / Getty Images
Types of Duodenal Cancer
There are five different types of duodenal cancer.
Adenocarcinomas
Adenocarcinomas can be found in cells that make and release mucus or other fluids. A 2016 study found that 55.7% of small bowel adenocarcinomas are found in the duodenum.The tumors sometimes grow big enough to cause intestinal blockage (bowel obstruction).
Duodenal adenocarcinoma is considered a rare and fast-spreadingcancerin your small intestine. Although the duodenum is the most common part of the small intestine for adenocarcinoma to develop, overall, duodenal cancer represents less than 1% of all cancers of the gastrointestinal (digestive) tract.
Sarcomas
Sarcomas are a type of tumor that arises from bone or soft tissues of the body. Primary sarcomas of the duodenum (those arising from the duodenum) are rare.Other types of cancer, such as testicular sarcomas, can metastasize to the duodenum, but the occurrence of this type of sarcoma in the duodenum is not common.
Carcinoid Tumors
Carcinoid tumors most often form in the gastrointestinal system, in the stomach and intestines, and may metastasize to other areas of the body.
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors
Gastrointestinal stromal tumorsform in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract, in the stomach and intestines.
Lymphomas
Lymphomasare a type of cancer that originates in the immune system but can affect various parts of the body, including the gastrointestinal system.
Duodenal Cancer Symptoms
Notable symptoms of duodenal cancer do not often occur for some time after the cancer begins to grow. Symptoms may be very unclear, which, unfortunately, can result in a delayed diagnosis.
Finding cancer early on leads to better treatment outcomes. Many times it can be a few months or longer before duodenal cancer symptoms begin and the condition is diagnosed.
Common symptoms of duodenal cancer include:
Inconsistent, cramp-like pain in the abdomen—which may worsen after eating—is often the first sign that a person has duodenal cancer. As the tumor grows, it may block the passage of food through the small bowel. This contributes to an increase in abdominal pain. If the intestine becomes completely blocked, severe nausea and vomiting will occur.
A tumor may begin to bleed inside of the duodenum, which can lead to a low red blood cell count (anemia) and blood in the stools (which appears as black, tarry-colored stools). Symptoms of anemia include weakness and fatigue; it can even cause lightheadedness, and a person may pass out.
Jaundice is rare, but it can occur when the tumor blocks the bile duct (the tubular structure that transports bile). Whenbileis unable to flow, it builds up in the bloodstream, causing yellow-tinged skin and eyes.
Causes of Duodenal Adenocarcinoma
The risks and causes of different types of duodenal cancer can vary. Because adenocarcinomas are the most common type, this section pertains to duodenal adenocarcinoma.
Although there are some known risk factors for duodenal adenocarcinomas, the exact cause of duodenal cancer is not well understood. However, scientists do know about some underlying factors that contribute to the development of duodenal cancer.
For example, DNA changes inside of adenocarcinoma cells appear to enable the tumors to grow inside of the duodenum. Some of our genes work to control when a cell begins to grow and divide (these are called oncogenes), while other genes keep cell division under control, stopping growth to fix mistakes in the DNA (these are called tumor-suppressor genes).
Scientists have studied oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes for some time and strongly suspect that these genes play a role in cancer development.Some of these gene changes accumulate over a person’s lifetime. This is one reason the risk of cancer increases as a person ages.
Some patients who develop duodenal cancer have hereditary gene changes that lead to an inherited increased risk. In addition to familial adenomatous polyposis, there are other additional inherited genetic syndromes that increase the risk of small bowel adenocarcinoma as well.
According to the American Cancer Society, the risks for adenocarcinoma of the small intestine are increased with certain diet and lifestyle choices, as well as the presence of other conditions, including:
It’s important to properly diagnose the type of duodenal cancer, as well as the stage of the cancer, so that the right type of treatment can be determined. Staging cancer is the process of finding out how far the cancer has spread, and to which locations in the body.
There are many different types of tests used to help diagnose cancer, as well as to identify the stage of duodenal cancer. These tests include the following.
The treatment for duodenal adenocarcinoma is complete surgical resection (the surgical removal of all or part of an organ or other body structure) or a Whipple procedure (pancreaticoduodenectomy).
Surgical Resection
A surgical resection (more accurately described as a “segmental duodenal resection,” which is the removal of a segment of the duodenum) may be performed instead of a Whipple procedure. The choioce depends on several factors, including:
Whipple Procedure
A Whipple procedure is not a simple operation; it is a complex surgery and, in fact, is several procedures in one operation. After recovery from a Whipple procedure, your oncologist may orderchemotherapy(a type of treatment that kills cancer cells).
Whipple Procedure: Overview
Other Treatment
Treatment for duodenal cancer may also include the following.
Study
A systematic review published in 2016 looked at 11 different studies and compared the five-year survival rate for those who had duodenal adenocarcinoma with and without lymph node involvement.
Those without lymph node involvement (invasion of the cancer into the lymph nodes) had a 65% five-year survival rate. Those withlymph nodeinvolvement had a 21% five-year survival rate.
Coping with a disease such as duodenal cancer is not an easy undertaking. It’s important to reach out and get support to deal with the many aspects of going through a diagnosis and treatment of malignant cancer.
There are many resources available (both online and in-person), such asthrough the American Cancer Society. You can find a local or online group of others who are going through similar circumstances.
If a support group isn’t enough, you may also want to consider reaching out for professional help, such as from a therapist or counseling professional. This is particularly true if you are experiencing anysigns or symptoms of depression.
Many people have walked the path of recovery from cancer while learning how to maintain a high quality of life. It’s important not to forget to do things that you enjoy. For example, do your best tostay activebefore and during cancer treatment
Perhaps most importantly, remember that you are not your disease: don’t get too attached to the label of being a cancer patient. Instead, see yourself as a cancer survivor.
How to Survive Cancer
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cloyd JM, George E, Visser BC.Duodenal adenocarcinoma: Advances in diagnosis and surgical management.World J Gastrointest Surg. 2016;8(3):212-21. doi:10.4240/wjgs.v8.i3.212Whitham Z, Blackham A, Loven V.A case of primary duodenal liposarcoma.Case Rep Oncol. 2020;13(2):649-654. doi:10.1159/000507479Chung C, Fares C, Lazarus M.High-grade undifferentiated sarcoma presenting as duodenal mass.Proceedings of UCLA Health Care. 2017;21.Bautista-Quach MA, Ake CD, Chen M, Wang J.Gastrointestinal lymphomas: Morphology, immunophenotype and molecular features.J Gastrointest Oncol. 2012;3(3):209-225. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2078-6891.2012.024American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of small intestine cancer (adenocarcinoma).American Cancer Society.What causes small intestine cancer (adenocarcinoma)?American Cancer Society.Risk factors for small intestine cancer (adenocarcinoma).American Cancer Society.Small intestine cancer (adenocarcinoma) stages.Spectrum Health.Duodenal and Small Intestine Cancers.Meijer LL, Alberga AJ, De bakker JK, et al.Outcomes and treatment options for duodenal adenocarcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Ann Surg Oncol. 2018;25(9):2681-2692. doi:10.1245/s10434-018-6567-6
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cloyd JM, George E, Visser BC.Duodenal adenocarcinoma: Advances in diagnosis and surgical management.World J Gastrointest Surg. 2016;8(3):212-21. doi:10.4240/wjgs.v8.i3.212Whitham Z, Blackham A, Loven V.A case of primary duodenal liposarcoma.Case Rep Oncol. 2020;13(2):649-654. doi:10.1159/000507479Chung C, Fares C, Lazarus M.High-grade undifferentiated sarcoma presenting as duodenal mass.Proceedings of UCLA Health Care. 2017;21.Bautista-Quach MA, Ake CD, Chen M, Wang J.Gastrointestinal lymphomas: Morphology, immunophenotype and molecular features.J Gastrointest Oncol. 2012;3(3):209-225. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2078-6891.2012.024American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of small intestine cancer (adenocarcinoma).American Cancer Society.What causes small intestine cancer (adenocarcinoma)?American Cancer Society.Risk factors for small intestine cancer (adenocarcinoma).American Cancer Society.Small intestine cancer (adenocarcinoma) stages.Spectrum Health.Duodenal and Small Intestine Cancers.Meijer LL, Alberga AJ, De bakker JK, et al.Outcomes and treatment options for duodenal adenocarcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Ann Surg Oncol. 2018;25(9):2681-2692. doi:10.1245/s10434-018-6567-6
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Cloyd JM, George E, Visser BC.Duodenal adenocarcinoma: Advances in diagnosis and surgical management.World J Gastrointest Surg. 2016;8(3):212-21. doi:10.4240/wjgs.v8.i3.212Whitham Z, Blackham A, Loven V.A case of primary duodenal liposarcoma.Case Rep Oncol. 2020;13(2):649-654. doi:10.1159/000507479Chung C, Fares C, Lazarus M.High-grade undifferentiated sarcoma presenting as duodenal mass.Proceedings of UCLA Health Care. 2017;21.Bautista-Quach MA, Ake CD, Chen M, Wang J.Gastrointestinal lymphomas: Morphology, immunophenotype and molecular features.J Gastrointest Oncol. 2012;3(3):209-225. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2078-6891.2012.024American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of small intestine cancer (adenocarcinoma).American Cancer Society.What causes small intestine cancer (adenocarcinoma)?American Cancer Society.Risk factors for small intestine cancer (adenocarcinoma).American Cancer Society.Small intestine cancer (adenocarcinoma) stages.Spectrum Health.Duodenal and Small Intestine Cancers.Meijer LL, Alberga AJ, De bakker JK, et al.Outcomes and treatment options for duodenal adenocarcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Ann Surg Oncol. 2018;25(9):2681-2692. doi:10.1245/s10434-018-6567-6
Cloyd JM, George E, Visser BC.Duodenal adenocarcinoma: Advances in diagnosis and surgical management.World J Gastrointest Surg. 2016;8(3):212-21. doi:10.4240/wjgs.v8.i3.212
Whitham Z, Blackham A, Loven V.A case of primary duodenal liposarcoma.Case Rep Oncol. 2020;13(2):649-654. doi:10.1159/000507479
Chung C, Fares C, Lazarus M.High-grade undifferentiated sarcoma presenting as duodenal mass.Proceedings of UCLA Health Care. 2017;21.
Bautista-Quach MA, Ake CD, Chen M, Wang J.Gastrointestinal lymphomas: Morphology, immunophenotype and molecular features.J Gastrointest Oncol. 2012;3(3):209-225. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2078-6891.2012.024
American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of small intestine cancer (adenocarcinoma).
American Cancer Society.What causes small intestine cancer (adenocarcinoma)?
American Cancer Society.Risk factors for small intestine cancer (adenocarcinoma).
American Cancer Society.Small intestine cancer (adenocarcinoma) stages.
Spectrum Health.Duodenal and Small Intestine Cancers.
Meijer LL, Alberga AJ, De bakker JK, et al.Outcomes and treatment options for duodenal adenocarcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Ann Surg Oncol. 2018;25(9):2681-2692. doi:10.1245/s10434-018-6567-6
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