Periampullary cancer is a kind of malignant cancer of digestive tract.It arises within 2 cm of the major duodenal papilla and eomprises cancers of the ampulla,distal comliiOll bile duct,pancreas and duodenum.Their clinical features and anatomic locations are similar,as are the therapeutic approaches.However,their long-term outcomes vary.Due to the bad prognosis,it is very important to make an early,accurate diagnosis and differential diagnosis of periampullary cancer.This article summarizes some basic methods and new developments of early and differential diagnosis of poriampullary cancer.