Immunotherapy in small bowel adenocarcinoma: a potential role?

Small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) is a rare tumor with an unfavorable prognosis, and due to its rarity, few studies on its treatment are available. Chemotherapy remains the standard of treatment in advanced disease. Recently immunotherapy has demonstrated to be a valid therapeutic option for many solid tumors. We reviewed the data published in literature to understand the impact of immunotherapy in this cancer.

Ampullary Adenocarcinoma, Version 1.2023, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology.

Ampullary cancers refer to tumors originating from the ampulla of Vater (the ampulla, the intraduodenal portion of the bile duct, and the intraduodenal portion of the pancreatic duct), while periampullary cancers may arise from locations encompassing the head of the pancreas, distal bile duct, duodenum, or ampulla of Vater. Ampullary cancers are rare gastrointestinal malignancies, and prognosis varies greatly based on factors such as patient age, TNM classification, differentiation grade, and treatment modality received. Systemic therapy is used in all stages of ampullary cancer, including neoadjuvant therapy, adjuvant therapy, and first-line or subsequent-line therapy for locally advanced, metastatic, and recurrent disease. Radiation therapy may be used in localized ampullary cancer, sometimes in combination with chemotherapy, but there is no high-level evidence to support its utility. Select tumors may be treated surgically. This article describes NCCN recommendations regarding management of ampullary adenocarcinoma.

Characteristics and outcome of patients with small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA).

BACKGROUND: Small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) remains a rare malignancy accounting for less than 5% of all the gastrointestinal tract cancers. However, only limited data and expert guidelines are available for this entity. As a result, treatment concepts are predominantly derived from colorectal cancer. METHODS: To substantiate data on the course of disease, diagnosis and treatment of SBA, we performed a population-based analysis from a Bavarian population of 2.2 million people. RESULTS: We identified 223 patients with SBA. Mean age at diagnosis was 67.8 years and patients were diagnosed rather late (34.5% UICC stage IV). Largest proportion of these patients were diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the duodenum (132 patients, 59.2%) and most patients were diagnosed with late stage cancer, stage IV (70 patients, 31.4%). With respect to treatment, most patients underwent primary surgery (187 patients, 84.6%). Systemic therapy seemed to have an impact in UICC stage IV patients but not in UICC stage IIB or III. The 5-year survival rate was 29.0%. This was significantly less compared to colon cancer in the same cohort, which was 50.0%. Furthermore, median survival of patients with small bowel cancer was only 2.0 years (95% CI 1.4-2.5) compared to 4.9 years (95% CI 4.8-5.1) of patients with colon cancer. CONCLUSION: SBA showed a distinct epidemiology compared to colon cancer. Thus, data acquisition particularly on systemic treatment are paramount, with the objective to complement the available guidelines.

Small Bowel Adenocarcinoma: a Nationwide Population-Based Study.

PURPOSE: Small intestinal cancers have a non-specific clinical presentation and hence a delayed diagnosis. The prevalence of small intestinal cancers is low, and there are no cost-effective methods of screening. This study aimed to identify clinical characteristics of duodenal and jejunal adenocarcinomas that can assist in the early detection and diagnosis of disease. METHODS: Duodenal adenocarcinoma and jejunal adenocarcinoma in Explorys database (1999-2019) were compared using odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals. Data on demographic characteristics, risk factors, clinical features, and treatment were collected. RESULTS: Out of a total of 8100 patients with a diagnosis of primary adenocarcinoma of the small intestine, 5110 are primary adenocarcinoma of duodenum (63%), and 600 are primary adenocarcinoma of jejunum (7.4%). Patients with jejunal adenocarcinoma when compared with patients with duodenal adenocarcinoma are more obese (OR, 1.36) and have a significantly higher prevalence of malignant neoplasm of colon (OR, 3.07), Crohn's disease (OR, 4.42), and celiac disease (OR, 2.48). Jejunal adenocarcinoma patients presented more frequently with intestinal obstruction (OR, 1.99), whereas duodenal adenocarcinoma patients more commonly presented with iron deficiency anemia (OR, 0.16). Patients with jejunal adenocarcinoma are less likely to undergo therapy with anti-neoplastic agents when compared with duodenal adenocarcinoma (OR, 0.81). There are no differences in patients undergoing surgical intervention or a combination of surgical intervention and antineoplastic therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Jejunal adenocarcinoma is more commonly associated with colorectal cancer, celiac disease, and Crohn's disease. They also had lower odds of requiring chemotherapeutic agents.

Clinical practice guidelines for duodenal cancer 2021.

Duodenal cancer is considered to be a small intestinal carcinoma in terms of clinicopathology. In Japan, there are no established treatment guidelines based on sufficient scientific evidence; therefore, in daily clinical practice, treatment is based on the experience of individual physicians. However, with advances in diagnostic modalities, it is anticipated that opportunities for its detection will increase in future. We developed guidelines for duodenal cancer because this disease is considered to have a high medical need from both healthcare providers and patients for appropriate management. These guidelines were developed for use in actual clinical practice for patients suspected of having non-ampullary duodenal epithelial malignancy and for patients diagnosed with non-ampullary duodenal epithelial malignancy. In this study, a practice algorithm was developed in accordance with the Minds Practice Guideline Development Manual 2017, and Clinical Questions were set for each area of epidemiology and diagnosis, endoscopic treatment, surgical treatment, and chemotherapy. A draft recommendation was developed through a literature search and systematic review, followed by a vote on the recommendations. We made decisions based on actual clinical practice such that the level of evidence would not be the sole determinant of the recommendation. This guideline is the most standard guideline as of the time of preparation. It is important to decide how to handle each case in consultation with patients and their family, the treating physician, and other medical personnel, considering the actual situation at the facility (and the characteristics of the patient).

Gastroduodenal neuroendocrine neoplasms including gastrinoma - update of the diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines (recommended by the Polish Network of Neuroendocrine Tumours) [Nowotwory neuroendokrynne zoladka i dwunastnicy z uwzglednieniem gastrinoma - uaktualnione zasady postepowania (rekomendowane przez Polska Siec Guzów Neuroendokrynnych)].

After another meeting of experts of the Polish Network of Neuroendocrine Tumours, updated recommendations for the management of patients with gastric and duodenal neuroendocrine neoplasms, including gastrinoma, have been issued. As before, the epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical symptoms of these neoplasms have been discussed, as well as the principles of diagnostic procedures, including biochemical and histopathological diagnostics and tumour localisation, highlighting the changes introduced in the recommendations. Updated principles of therapeutic management have also been presented, including endoscopic and surgical treatment, and the options of pharmacological and radioisotope treatment. The importance of monitoring patients with gastric and duodenal NENs, including gastrinoma, has also been emphasised.

Systemic therapy for duodenal adenocarcinoma: An analysis of the National Cancer Database (NCDB).

BACKGROUND: National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend resection and adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced duodenal adenocarcinoma. Outcomes after systemic treatment in this rare malignancy have not been well studied. We examined utilization patterns of systemic treatment and compared overall survival of patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy, surgery alone, and adjuvant therapy. METHODS: Patients with stage 0 to III duodenal adenocarcinoma undergoing curative-intent surgery were identified within the National Cancer Database from 2006 to 2015. Outcomes, including median overall survival and 30- and 90-day mortality, were compared based on treatment sequence (neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or surgery alone). Propensity score matching on likelihood of receiving systemic treatment and landmark analysis were performed to mitigate bias. RESULTS: Of the 2,956 patients meeting inclusion criteria, most patients with known clinical stage had locally advanced disease (72%), of which 53% received systemic therapy (8% neoadjuvant, 45% adjuvant). After landmark analysis on the propensity matched cohort, patients with locally advanced disease who received systemic treatment had longer median overall survival compared to patients who underwent surgery alone (49 vs 40 months, P = .018) and a 20% lower hazard of mortality (hazard ratio 0.80, 95% confidence interval 0.69-0.93, P = .003). Patients who received neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy had similar survival outcomes. CONCLUSION: Adjuvant therapy was underutilized in patients with National Comprehensive Cancer Network guideline indications, despite an association with longer median overall survival and decreased hazard of mortality. Neoadjuvant therapy, although rarely used, had similar survival to adjuvant therapy. Given its other potential benefits, systemic treatment in the neoadjuvant setting may be a reasonable option in adequately selected patients with clinically advanced duodenal adenocarcinoma.

Ampullary carcinoma of the duodenum: current clinical issues and genomic overview.

Ampullary carcinomas of the duodenum are uncommon. Moreover, the diversity in the clinical outcomes of these patients makes it difficult to interpret previous studies and clinical trial results. The difficulty in proper staging of ampullary carcinomas, especially with regard to the T category of the tumor in the TNM system, reflects the anatomic complexity and non-uniform histopathologic subtypes. One major reason for this difficulty in interpretation is that the tumors may arise from any of the three epithelia (duodenal, biliary, or pancreatic) that converge at this location. Generally, ampullary carcinomas are classified into intestinal and pancreaticobiliary types based on morphology and immunohistochemical features. While many studies have described their specific characteristics and clinical impact, the prognostic value of these subtypes is controversial. In recent years, whole-exome sequencing analyses have advanced our understanding of the genomic overview of ampullary carcinoma. Gene mutations serve as prognostic and predictive biomarkers for this disease. Therefore, basic knowledge of the genomic profile of ampullary carcinomas is required for surgeons to understand how best to apply precision medicine as well as surgery and adjuvant therapies. This review provides an overview of the current basic and clinical issues of ampullary carcinoma.

Duodenal neuroendocrine neoplasms with unexpectedly aggressive behaviour: Challenging the "watch and wait" approach.

The incidence of duodenal neuroendocrine neoplasms has risen over the past decades as a result of the wide availability of endoscopy and associated expertise. Although it is considered that tumour size greater than 10 mm, higher tumour grade and/or location in relation to the ampulla of Vater represent the main risk factors for local or distant metastases, we describe two cases of well differentiated grade 1 and grade 2 neuroendocrine tumours, which measured < 10 mm at the time of diagnosis but had an aggressive course during follow-up. Furthermore, we also summarise the available therapeutic strategies for the management of small, low grade, non-functioning, non-ampullary duodenal neuroendocrine neoplasms.

Clinical features, treatment, and prognosis of different histological types of primary small bowel adenocarcinoma: A propensity score matching analysis based on the SEER database.

PURPOSE: This aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive understanding of the clinical characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of patients with small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA), mucinous small bowel adenocarcinoma (MSBA), and signet ring cell carcinoma of the small bowel (SRCSB). METHODS: Information on patients with SBA, MSBA, and SRCSB (2004-2015) was obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan-Meier curves were used for the survival analyses. Propensity-score matching (PSM) was implemented to determine the differences among these tumors. RESULTS: In all, 3697 patients with SBA (n = 3196), MSBA (n = 325) and SRCSB (n = 176) were ultimately eligible for this study. Poor differentiation, local invasion, and lymph node metastasis were more likely to be observed in SRCSB than in SBA and MSBA. Surgery was the most common treatment modality in all groups. The prognosis of SBA was similar to that of MSBA, but better than that of SRCSB in both unmatched and matched cohorts. M stage, surgery, and chemotherapy were identified as independent predictors of survival in all patients. Surgery and chemotherapy could significantly improve outcomes in all groups before and after PSM. Radiotherapy was associated with a survival benefit in patients with SBA, but this trend was not maintained after PSM. Survival advantages of SBA and MSBA were remarkable in the stratified analysis of surgery after PSM. CONCLUSION: Patients with SRCSB had the worst prognosis among all histological types examined. However, surgery and chemotherapy could improve patients survival, regardless of histological type.

Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 and the Pancreas: Diagnosis and Treatment of Functioning and Non-Functioning Pancreatic and Duodenal Neuroendocrine Neoplasia within the MEN1 Syndrome - An International Consensus Statement.

The better understanding of the biological behavior of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) organ manifestations and the increase in clinical experience warrant a revision of previously published guidelines. Duodenopancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasias (DP-NENs) are still the second most common manifestation in MEN1 and, besides NENs of the thymus, remain a leading cause of death. DP-NENs are thus of main interest in the effort to reevaluate recommendations for their diagnosis and treatment. Especially over the last 2 years, more clinical experience has documented the follow-up of treated and untreated (natural-course) DP-NENs. It was the aim of the international consortium of experts in endocrinology, genetics, radiology, surgery, gastroenterology, and oncology to systematically review the literature and to present a consensus statement based on the highest levels of evidence. Reviewing the literature published over the past decade, the focus was on the diagnosis of F- and NF-DP-NENs within the MEN1 syndrome in an effort to further standardize and improve treatment and follow-up, as well as to establish a "logbook" for the diagnosis and treatment of DP-NENs. This shall help further reduce complications and improve long-term treatment results in these rare tumors. The following international consensus statement builds upon the previously published guidelines of 2001 and 2012 and attempts to supplement the recommendations issued by various national and international societies.

Management and Prognosis of Localized Duodenal Neuroendocrine Neoplasms.

INTRODUCTION: The characteristics, prognostic factors, and management of duodenal neuroendocrine neoplasms (dNEN) are ill-defined, given their rarity. Whether nonsurgical management might be appropriate for patients with nonmetastatic dNEN and a good prognosis, as is the case for pancreatic NEN (pNEN), is unknown. We aimed to describe the management and prognosis of nonmetastatic dNEN patients. METHODS: All consecutive patients with nonmetastatic dNEN managed between 1981 and 2018 in 2 expert centers were included. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and factors associated with recurrence were estimated. RESULTS: A total of 145 patients with dNEN were included. Twenty-eight patients with sporadic, nonfunctioning, small (median 7 mm) dNEN underwent endoscopic resection, with a 5-year RFS rate of 89.4%. Local recurrence occurred in 2 patients, who underwent surgery with no new events. The 5-year RFS rate was 87.9% in patients who underwent surgery. Upon univariate analysis, age, size, Ki67 index, and lymph node involvement (LN+) were significantly associated with worse RFS for all dNEN treated (endoscopy/surgery); multivariate analysis found that age, size, and LN+ were associated with worse RFS. CONCLUSION: Selected nonmetastatic dNEN had a favorable outcome, and a less invasive therapeutic strategy appeared more suitable than oncological surgery.

The Role of Neoadjuvant Versus Adjuvant Therapy for Duodenal Adenocarcinoma: A National Cancer Database Propensity Score Matched Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Adjuvant therapy is recommended in duodenal adenocarcinoma (DA), but the role of neoadjuvant therapy remains undefined. We compared the effect of neoadjuvant therapy to adjuvant therapy on overall survival, 30-day, and 90-day mortality following the resection of DA. METHODS: A retrospective review of the National Cancer Database was performed on patients with DA who received either adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy in addition to surgical resection. Propensity score matching was done for patient, socioeconomic, and tumor characteristics. Overall survival, 30-day, and 90-day mortality were compared. RESULTS: A total of 112 patients were identified; 55 received adjuvant therapy; 57 received neoadjuvant therapy. There was no difference in 30-day (0% vs. 1.75%; P = 1.00), 90-day mortality (1.82% vs. 7.02%; P = .36), nor overall survival (1 yr: 86% vs. 76; 3 yr: 49% vs. 46%; 5 yr: 42% vs. 39%; P = .28). CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in overall survival after propensity score matched analysis.

Comparative Analysis of Outcomes and Clinicopathological Characteristics of Duodenal Adenocarcinoma: A SEER Analysis.

Duodenal adenocarcinoma is an uncommon, malignant tumor usually accompanied by a poor prognosis. We identified 3150 duodenal adenocarcinoma cases from the SEER database (1988-2013) to analyze clinical characteristics and outcomes. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to evaluate cancer-specific survival (CSS). Cox regression analysis was used to explore the prognostic factors of CSS. Adverse prognostic factors include higher tumor grade, later stage, tumor size ≥ 2cm, positive regional lymph nodes, and not undergoing surgical resection. Our results suggest, surgery is the optimal treatment for duodenal cancer, and combined radiotherapy does not improve survival.

Development of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma from duodenal type follicular lymphoma: a retrospective study of 23 cases.

The incidence and clinical characteristics of histological transformation (HT) from duodenal type follicular lymphoma (DFL) are unclear. A retrospective analysis was conducted to identify the incidence and clinical features of HT from DFL in 23 cases with DFL. The median follow-up duration was 4.6 years (range, 0.8-20 years). HT to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was observed in 2 of 23 cases during follow-up (8.7%). One of two cases transformed at 21 months later with increased serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; 1655 U/L) and abdominal lymphadenopathy. Partial response was achieved after R-THP (pirarubicin)-COP therapy, but the disease progressed. The other case transformed at 8.3 years with an increase of serum LDH (4022 U/L), abdominal lymphadenopathy, and bone marrow involvement. The disease was refractory to DA-EPOCH-R and a high-dose methotrexate/cytarabine regimen. The patient received allogenic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation and finally achieved complete response. Both cases developed HT at nodal or other intestinal lesions with no progression of the primary duodenal lesion. No significant factors for the occurrence of HT were identified. Although the incidence is low, HT could occur in DFL with aggressive clinical manifestations.

[Current Status and Future Perspectives of the Treatment of Rare Cancer-The Treatment Guidelines for Duodenal Cancer].

Although the incidence of each rare cancer is low, the estimated annual incidence rate of all rare cancers added together reportedly corresponded to 22% of all cancer diagnoses in Europe. To cope with most rare cancers, each physician is burdened with literature search and consultation through private relationships to find how the patients should be diagnosed and treated. Treatment guidelines will be of huge assistance in such situations, and should preferably be compiled for selected rare cancers for which information is more often sought after. The author established a research team funded by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Japan, under the title of "Improvement of quality in medical support system for rare cancer through compilation of guidelines". This research team is a joint force of several experts from various fields of oncology, and guidelines on rare cancer of various categories, such as brain tumors, retroperitoneal sarcomas, penile cancer and duodenal cancer are currently on the way to publication. This manuscript describes the footsteps of the members of this research team who concentrates on a project to compile guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of duodenal cancer, which is expected to go to print by the end of 2020.

Development and Validation of Prognostic Nomograms for Patients with Duodenal Neuroendocrine Neoplasms.

BACKGROUND This study was designed to predict prognosis of patients with primary duodenal neuroendocrine neoplasms (D-NENs) by developing nomograms. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients diagnosed with D-NENs between 1988 and 2015 were queried from the SEER database and a total of 965 appropriate cases were randomly separated into the training and validation sets. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to generated survival curves, and the difference among the groups was assessed by the log-rank test. Independent prognostic indicators were acquired by Cox regression analysis, and were used to develop predictive overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) nomograms. Harrell's concordance index (C-index), area under the curve (AUC), calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to assess the efficacy of nomograms. Tumor stage was regarded as a benchmark in predicting prognostic compared with the nomograms built in this study. RESULTS The C-index was 0.739 (0.690-0.788) and 0.859 (0.802-0.916) for OS and CSS nomograms, respectively. Calibration curves exhibited obvious consistency between the nomograms and the actual observations. In addition, C-index, AUC, and DCA were better than tumor stage in the evaluative performance of nomograms. CONCLUSIONS The nomograms were able to predict the 1-, 5-, and 10-year OS and CSS for D-NENs patients. The good performance of these nomograms suggest that they can be used for evaluating the prognosis of patients with D-NENs and can facilitate individualized treatment in clinical practice.