Primary duodenal tumors: a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma

The case records of ten patients with benign, three with endocrine, and 19 with malignant duodenal tumors were reviewed. Patients with benign tumors had episodes of bleeding that were recurrent in a number of cases. The endocrine tumors were all gastrinomas; patients had ulcer diathesis associated with the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. All malignant tumors were symptomatic, with chronic gastrointestinal blood loss or duodenal obstruction. All benign tumors were demonstrated preoperatively, but only ten of 19 malignant tumors were confirmed preoperatively. The data suggest that duodenal tumors masquerade as more common diseases and as a result, their diagnosis and treatment are delayed inordinately. Awareness of this problem is encouraged, and a more aggressive diagnostic effort in selected patients, including fiberoptic endoscopy, is suggested.