[Determinants of long-term survival in 38 patients with carcinoma of ampulla of Vater treated by local resection].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate determinants of long-term survival for carcinoma of ampulla of Vater treated by local resection.


METHODS
The clinical and pathological data of 38 such patients treated by local resection from 1983 to 2003 were retrospectively analyzed. According to UICC staging system, there were T1 30, T2 7 and T3 1. Lymph nodes were involved in 4 during operation which was present in primary lesions larger than 2 cm across. All patients were treated by local resection. At first, external palpation was carried out to ascertain accessibility. Then with the duodenum opened, direct exploration was carried out. On deciding for resection, the common bile duct was probe explored which guided the circumferential ring resection 1 cm, away from the tumor, including all layers of duodenum, ampula and partial bile and terminal pancreatic ducts and the posterial wall of duodenum was completed in steps. Meticulous care was taken not to suture the pancreatic duct and endotheliation was ensured at the mouth of common bile duct and duodenum. The basal tissue was frozen sectioned to ensure negative stumps. The gall bladder of 6 patients was also resected. SPSS 10.0 software was used in data processing, log-rank test used in univariate analysis and Cox equation for multivariate analysis and Kaplan-Meirer method for the survival rates.


RESULTS
Thirty-eight patients received local resection giving an operative mortality of 0% and morbidity of 13.2%. The 1-, 5- and 10-year survival rate was 83.5%, 51.4%, and 38.9%, respectively, with a median survival of 3.35 years. Up to now, 13 patients have survived for more than five years and 2 patients beyond ten years. The tumour size, tumour grading, lymph node status and UICC stage were significant prognostic factors in univariate analysis. However, only lymph node status was a statistically independent predictor of prognosis in multivariate analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Local excision is safe giving low morbidity and good survival in carefully selected cases. Preferably it is indicated only in high risk patients with a pT1 and well differentiated ampullary cancer smaller than 1 cm in diameter.
Liu
Ning
N
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Tianjin Cancer Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300060, China. liuning001@sina.com
Liang
Han
H
Li
Qiang
Q
Wang
Dian-chang
DC
Zhang
Ru-peng
RP
Wang
Jia-cang
JC
Hao
Xi-shan
XS
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014670:Ampulla of Vater / Q000601:surgery*; D003138:Common Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis