When ampullary carcinoma has spread beyond resectability and the patient's functional capacity is substantially impaired — reflected by an ECOG performance status above 2 — the clinical priorities and management strategy differ markedly from those applied to fitter patients.
Clinical scenario: Locally advanced or metastatic ampullary carcinoma in a patient with ECOG performance status > 2. Significantly reduced functional status in this setting directly determines the appropriate management approach.
For patients in this population, the recommended approach centers on supportive care — the full structured criteria, rationale, and management detail are available in the complete protocol.
DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2024.04.027
For patients with ECOG PS > 2: best supportive care