What is the prognosis of stage III duodenal adenocarcinoma?

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Last updated: April 7, 2025View editorial policy

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From the Guidelines

The prognosis for stage III duodenal adenocarcinoma is generally poor, with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 20-30%. This stage indicates that the cancer has spread beyond the duodenum to nearby lymph nodes but has not yet metastasized to distant organs.

Treatment Overview

Treatment typically involves surgical resection, and the use of adjuvant chemotherapy has been shown to improve survival rates in some cases, as demonstrated by a study where a treatment plan of pre- and postoperative epirubicin, cisplatin, and continuous i.v. infusion of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) significantly improved 5-year survival 1.

Key Factors Influencing Prognosis

Factors that influence prognosis include:

  • The patient's overall health status
  • Age
  • Tumor characteristics (such as differentiation and lymphovascular invasion)
  • Completeness of surgical resection
  • Response to chemotherapy Regular follow-up with imaging studies and tumor marker assessments is essential to monitor for recurrence. Despite aggressive treatment, recurrence rates remain high, with most occurring within the first two years after treatment. Patients should be monitored closely during this period, as early detection of recurrence may allow for additional therapeutic interventions.

From the Research

Prognosis of Stage III Duodenal Adenocarcinoma

The prognosis of stage III duodenal adenocarcinoma is generally poor, with a 5-year overall survival rate ranging from 10.6% to 64.9% [ 2, 3 ].

Factors Affecting Prognosis

Several factors can affect the prognosis of stage III duodenal adenocarcinoma, including:

  • Lymph node positivity [ 3 ]
  • N stage [ 3 ]
  • TNM stage [ 3 ]
  • Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) positivity [ 3 ]
  • T status [ 4 ]
  • Curative resection [ 2, 5 ]

Treatment Options

Treatment options for stage III duodenal adenocarcinoma include:

  • Curative resection [ 2, 5 ]
  • Adjuvant chemotherapy [ 6 ]
  • Neoadjuvant therapy [ 6 ]

Survival Outcomes

The median overall survival for stage III duodenal adenocarcinoma ranges from 14.4 months to 49 months [ 2, 6 ]. The 5-year overall survival rate ranges from 10.6% to 64.9% [ 2, 3 ].

References

Guideline

Guideline Directed Topic Overview

Dr.Oracle Medical Advisory Board & Editors, 2025

Research

Comparison of the clinical efficacy of a new prognostic stratification for duodenal adenocarcinoma with that of TNM staging: The importance of T status with regard to the prognosis.

European journal of surgical oncology : the journal of the European Society of Surgical Oncology and the British Association of Surgical Oncology, 2023

Research

Clinicopathological analysis and survival outcome of duodenal adenocarcinoma.

The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences, 2014

Professional Medical Disclaimer

This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

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