Background: We analyzed clinicopathologic variables and postoperative outcomes in patients with ampulla of Vater carcinoma (AVC) to identify key predictors of post-resection prognosis.Methods: Fifty-five patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for AVC with curative intent between 2005 and 2020 were included in this study. A retrospective review of the clinical records of patients who underwent surgical exploration for AVC was performed using univariate and multivariate analyses. Clinical and pathological factors that influenced patient survival were analyzed. Results: One-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates after surgery were 97.4%, 71.8%, and 63.0%, respectively. A total of 21 patients developed recurrent disease after curative resection for AVC. The most frequently observed sites of recurrence were lymph nodes in 11 patients (52%), followed by the liver in 8 (38%), lung in 6 (29%), local in 3 (14%), and peritoneal dissemination in 3 (14%). Estimated 3- and 5-year recurrence free survival rates for the entire cohort were 62.8% and 57.2%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, only the presence of lymph node metastasis extending to the pancreatic head region (hazard ratio = 5.374; 95% confidence interval: 1.279–22.58; P = 0.022) predicted inferior relapse-free survival. A significant correlation between postoperative recurrence and pathological lymph node metastasis was observed. Conclusions: Lymph node metastasis, especially that which extends to the pancreatic head region, was clearly identified as a prognostic indicator of reduced relapse-free survival in patients who have undergone curative surgical treatment for AVC.