[The diagnosis and surgical treatment of cancer of the major duodenal papilla].

Eighteen patients with cancer of the large duodenal papilla have been operated for a period of 9 years (1980-1988). The clinical manifestations of the disease and the methods used for diagnosis are described. Eight radical and 9 palliative operations and 1 explorative laparotomy were performed. The case fatality rate in radically operated patients was 25 per cent; none of those undergone palliative operation died. Total case fatality rate was 11.1 per cent. Survival was much higher in radically operated patients. Inference is made that the prognosis of cancer of the large duodenal papilla was much better than in ductal adenocarcinoma of the exocrine pancreas.