Neoadjuvant treatment of duodenal adenocarcinoma: a rescue strategy

To evaluate the role of neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy and rescue surgery in the management of unresectable or recurrent duodenal adenocarcinoma.

Retrospective review of all adults treated with neoadjuvant therapy and rescue surgery for locally unresectable or locally recurrent duodenal adenocarcinoma from 1994 to 2010.

Ten patients received various forms of neoadjuvant therapy prior to operative exploration for potential resection. Six patients presented with locally unresectable disease, while four had local recurrences. Six patients had vascular encasement, three had retroperitoneal extension with vascular invasion, and one had invasion of surrounding organs. Of the six patients with locally advanced disease, preoperative therapy consisted of chemotherapy alone (3) or chemoradiotherapy (3). Of the four patients with local recurrences, preoperative therapy consisted of chemotherapy alone (1), chemoradiotherapy alone (1), chemoradiotherapy after chemotherapy (1), and chemoradiotherapy followed by combination chemotherapy (1). Nine of ten patients became resectable after neoadjuvant therapy. Clinically, two patients had complete responses, and four had partial responses. Histopathology revealed complete pathologic response in two patients and near-complete pathologic response in one (<1 mm of residual disease). Currently, five patients are alive (range 18-83 months postoperatively). All have no evidence of disease.

Neoadjuvant therapy may convert locally unresectable duodenal adenocarcinoma to resectable disease with subsequent prolonged survival.