[Duodenal cancer--illustrated by 5 cases, with special consideration to symptomatology, diagnosis and treatment].

Over a period of 30 months we have seen five patients with duodenal cancer (four adenocarcinomas and one carcinoid-tumour). All patients are presented with a brief history of vague and non-specific symptoms. Diagnosis was established by endoscopy and biopsies. In one case, a Whipple's procedure was performed, and the patient is without evidence of tumour recurrence eight months later. Three patients could only be offered palliative surgery, of these, one is still alive two years after the operation, one (the patient with a carcinoid tumour) died three months postoperatively, and the third has only just recently been operated. The fifth patient died ten days after the diagnosis was confirmed, without any specific treatment. The different diagnostic methods available as well as the treatment and prognosis of duodenal cancer are discussed. We conclude that: 1) despite improved diagnostic procedures, the diagnosis of duodenal cancer is still difficult and delayed due to vague and non-specific symptoms, 2) the diagnostic procedure is endoscopy and biopsy. 3) the treatment is surgery and 4) the prognosis is poor in the majority of patients.