Clinicopathologic features, surgical treatments, and outcomes of small bowel tumors: A retrospective study in China.

BACKGROUND: Small bowel tumors are relatively rare. Accumulation of data regarding their clinical presentation, pathologic features, prognostic factors, treatment modalities, and outcome has been an issue. We summarize the clinicopathologic features and evaluate the long-term outcome of patients with small bowel tumors who underwent surgery.

METHODS: This is a retrospective study of medical records of 456 patients with small bowel tumors treated surgically at a Cancer Hospital between 1999 and 2016.

RESULTS: The study included 275 males (60.3%) and 181 females (39.7%). Small bowel tumors were difficult to diagnose because of non-specific symptoms. The most common symptoms were alimentary symptoms (56.8%) and abdominal pain (37.3%). Final histopathology revealed 241 adenocarcinomas (52.9%), 153 gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs; 33.6%), 16 neuroendocrine tumors (NETs; 3.5%), and 46 other types of tumors (10.1%). The 456 surgeries performed included 153 pancreaticoduodenectomies, 241 limited duodenum resections, 60 palliative bypass surgeries, and 2 abdominal explorations. The 5-year overall survival and progression-free survival rates for patients with small bowel tumor were 57.2% and 44.6%, respectively. Adenocarcinomas resulted in the worst overall survival compared to GISTs or NETs, and tumors with duodenal location resulted in a worse survival compared to those with non-duodenal location.

CONCLUSION: Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for small bowel tumors. Adenocarcinomas and duodenal involvement seem to contribute to poor outcomes.