Objective: To investigate the clinical features, diagnostic methods, and treatment choice of tumor of the papilla of Vater. Methods: The clinical data of 25 patients with tumor of the papilla of Vater treated by local resection in our hospital from December 1983 to May 2006 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The morbidities of abdominal pain, jaundice and recurrent cholangitis were 84%, 80% and 48%, respectively. The accordant rate for preoperative duodenoscopic biopsy and post-operative pathological diagnosis was 80%. Intraoperative frozen section examination accurately predicted the final pathological results in all the patients. The post-operative complication rate was 20% and the operative mortality rate was 4%. The 5-year survival rates of local resection for benign tumors and malignant tumors were 75% and 28.5%, respectively. Conclusion: Abdominal pain, jaundice and recurrent cholangitis are the main symptoms and signs of tumor of the papilla of Vater. Duodenoscopy is the principal preoperative diagnostic method and intraoperative frozen section examination is reliable in assessing the operative specimens. Selective local resection is an effective treatment option for tumor of the papilla of Vater.