Standard Treatment If the tumor can be completely removed, radical surgery may lead to a cure. Simple excision of the tumor might be adequate for small malignancies, but for larger tumors the recommended procedure requires a segment of the bowel with wide margins to be removed. If the cancer arises in the first part of the small bowel (duodenum), it should be noted that the duodenum is in a difficult location. It is behind the liver, pancreas and stomach, and the Whipple surgical procedure—involving the removal of the pancreas and duodenum— may be necessary.
Palliation If surgical removal of the tumor is impossible, the symptoms of the disease may
be relieved by a surgical bypass or palliative radiation therapy.
