Ampullary Cancer

Ampullary cancer is a malignant tumor that arises from the Ampulla of Vater, the last centimeter of the common bile duct as it passes through the duodenum, the first section of the intestine. The diagnostic tests used to for ampullary cancer  are similar to those for pancreatic cancer; endoscopy or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) are frequently used to make the diagnosis.A tumor blocking  the Ampulla of Vater will interfere with drainage of the pancreatic and biliary secretions into the intestine.

The standard treatment for ampullary cancer is a pylorus preserving Whipple operation.Five year survival for ampullary tumors is excellent if the tumor does not invade the adjacent pancreas.The standard surgical approach to the treatment of ampullary carcinoma is pancreaticoduodenal resection (Whipple procedure). The procedure involves en bloc resection of the gastric antrum and duodenum; a segment of the first portion of the jejunum, gallbladder, and distal common bile duct; the head and often the neck of the pancreas; and adjacent regional lymph nodes.

In the Far East, Korea demonstrated highly significant increasing mortality trends for both sexes [men (4.8–7.8), p<0.001; women (2.5–4), p<0.01), while women in Japan showed an increasing trend that was significant (p<0.05). In France, a trend towards increasing mortality was observed among women (p<0.001). An upward mortality trend in women achieving significance was also seen in Malta, Bulgaria, Greece, and Germany (p<0.05). A decline in mortality was seen in both sexes only in Canada [men (7.5–6.4), women (5.9–5); p<0.01], while for men there was a downward trend noticeable in Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, the UK, and Poland [p<0.05].

Ampullary (AM-poo-la-ree) cancer is a rare cancer that forms in an area of your digestive system called the ampulla of Vater. The ampulla of Vater is where your bile duct and pancreatic duct join and empty into your small intestine.Ampullary cancer forms near many other parts of the digestive system, such as the liver, pancreas and small intestine. When ampullary cancer grows, it may affect these other organs.Jaundice is the most common symptom of ampullary cancer. This is because the tumor in the ampulla of Vater blocks the bile duct.