[Cancer of the colon with a duodenal fistula. Its surgical treatment].

The authors present an infrequent case: fistulization of a colonic cancer to duodenum. A side from its rarity, the case is interesting from the surgical point of view. Not many years ago, the fact that carcinoma of the hepatic angle had infiltrated the duodenum was interpreted as a sign of nonresectability. Now prognosis is not considered to depend on this complication, but instead, on tumoral stage, as in any other colonic tumor. The ideal technique is block resection, which requires enlarged right hemicolectomy and partial excision of the duodenum, if possible, or cephalic duodenopancreatectomy in selected cases. Although appreciable survival rates have been reported in this situation, the most important benefit may be an improved quality of life for the patient if resection is not curative.