A CASE OF APPENDICEAL CARCINOMA WITH REMARKABLE CALCIFICATION

Abstract

Primary appendiceal carcinoma is a rare disease. We have difficulties with preoperative diagnosis and postoperative histopathologic examination can first establish the definite diagnosis in many cases. Recently we experienced a case of appendiceal carcinoma presenting with acute appendicitis symptoms, which showed a remarkable calcification on a simple abdominal X-ray film. A 72-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with a suspecion of acute appendicitis. Simple abdominal X-ray film revealed a spherical picture of calcification with the size of larger than an egg on the right side of the pelvis. Based on clinical symptoms the patient was diagnosed as acute appendicitis where the calcification was considered an ovarian cyst or pseudomyxoma, and emergency operation was carried out. During surgery, no abnormal findings were found in the ovary. It was determined that tumorous lesion on an abdominal X-ray film coincided with the appendix; it might be mucous cyst adenoma or adenocarcinoma; but peritoneal dissemination of the cyst contents did not occur as yet. Ileocecal excision was performed. Histopathologically it was a cystadenocarcinoma associated with mucocele without serosal invasion. This case with some notes is presented here.