Clinic, diagnosis and therapy of tumors of the small intestine

53 cases of tumor of the small intestine were observed, of which 23 were benign, 14 carcinomas, 10 sarcomas, 6 carcinoid tumors. The age ranged from 1 to 81 years; an incidence peak was found between 51 and 60. The ratio of male and female patients was 3 : 2. Almost all patients with malignoma came to our hospital only in an already advanced stage, 65% of the malignant tumors had already developed metastases. Preoperative diagnostics was significantly improved during the last years. Since 1972, i.e. since hypotonous duodenography, double contrast technique and endoscopy are applied, accuracy of the diagnostic methods could be increased by more than 100%. But due to the fact that these improved techniques were applied too late because of atypical symptoms and signs, prognosis of malignomas of the small intestine has been bad also in the last years. 16% of the patients died of postoperative complications and the 5-year survival rate was only 18%. From this results that prognosis cannot be improved even by applying the modern diagnostic methods, because malignant tumors of the small intestine provoke pain almost exclusively in advanced stages. There don't exist typical early symptoms or signs. (orig./ARB)