Compared with carcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas, carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater has a substantially better prognosis chiefly because:
- A It is less likely to metastasize to lymph nodes
- B It presents earlier with jaundice, allowing resection at a smaller size ✓
- C It responds completely to chemoradiotherapy
- D It arises from neuroendocrine cells rather than epithelium
Correct answer: B. It presents earlier with jaundice, allowing resection at a smaller size
Explanation
The ampulla obstructs the common bile duct early, producing jaundice while the tumour is still small, so a higher proportion are resectable at diagnosis and five-year survival after resection reaches roughly 40 to 50 percent versus under 20 percent for body and tail cancers. Ampullary cancers do spread to peripancreatic nodes, they are epithelial adenocarcinomas, and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy improves but does not replace surgery, which eliminates options A, C and D.
Reference: Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.