A CASE SERIESOF NEUROENDOCRINE TUMOURS IN APPENDIX: INCIDENTAL FINDINGS

Abstract

Neuroendocrine tumors are aggressive and rare tumors which can occur almost everywhere in the body. The annual incidence of neuroendocrine tumors is 2.5-5 per 100000. We report 4 cases of appendiceal neuroendocrine tumors which were diagnosed incidentally on routine histopathological examination from the time period of December 2020 to November, 2022.The appendix is one of the most common single site for carcinoid tumor.Histopathologically, appendiceal neuroendocrine tumors (aNETs) is mostly comprised of enterochromaffin (EC) cell type and derives from a subepithelial cell population, which is different from neuroendocrine tumor in other sites. Although rare, and usually detected incidentally in appendectomy, it is considered the most common type of appendiceal primary malignant lesion, and is found in 0.3%-0.9% of patients undergoing appendicectomy.Thesetumors rarely present with metastases. In surgical practice most surgeons may encounter only one or two such tumours during their career. Therefore, it is important to define correct management of such a rare tumor. We report a series of 4 aNETs found incidentally in appendicectomy specimens and discuss about management strategies.