title: Clinical and pathological analysis of malignancies arising from alimentary tract duplications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malignant change is a rare complication of alimentary tract duplications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Articles concerning malignancies arising from alimentary tract duplications published from 1955 to 2012 on PubMed were extensively reviewed. These cases were reclassified and analyzed according to sites of clinical manifestations, diagnostic examinations, methods of management, pathological findings, clinical staging and prognosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 64 citations in the literature that provided adequate descriptions of 67 cases of malignancies arising from alimentary tract duplications near the oesophagus (n = 6), stomach (n = 10), small intestine (n = 19), appendix (n = 1) and large intestine (n = 31). Among the cases described above, 57 underwent surgical treatment. In 43 patients with known prognosis, 7 died of tumour progression. In another 5 cases, the tumours recurred and metastasized recurred and metastasised after surgery at an average of 11.4 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For relieving symptoms and preventing malignant change, all duplications should be considered for surgery. Unfortunately, prognosis is generally poor once malignancy has occurred in the duplications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Beilun People's Hospital, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, China. mhfen@163.com
authors.forename: Haifen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Weihua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Junqiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yiqiao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D004065:Digestive System Abnormalities / Q000150:complications*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*