Appendiceal tumours as incidental findings in patients undergoing emergency appendicectomy: A retrospective, single-center study and a brief overview of current practice standards

Abstract

Introduction: Primary cancers of the appendix are very rare and most of them are usually found accidentally on appendectomies performed for appendicitis. Although these tumours are rare, there is a diverse histology. Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective study of patients undergoing appendectomy at our institution for the suspended diagnosis of appendicitis. From January 2003 to December 2018 a total of 1809 patients underwent appendectomy under general anaesthesia. Patient demographics, type of procedure, and tumour histology were recorded. Results: The mean age of patients was 32 years (range, 14 to 85). Of these patients, 821 (45.38%) were female, and 988 (54.62%) were male. In total 959 (53.01%) underwent laparoscopic appendectomy and 850 (46.99%) underwent open appendectomy. An appendiceal neoplasm was found in 17 patients (0.94%). Of these 17 patients, four (23.53%) were reported to have benign tumours, while 13 (76.47%) were reported to have malignancies. The most frequent appendiceal tumour was carcinoid, which was detected in 10 patients (58.82%). Conclusion: Tumours of the appendix are very rare and the majority of them are malignancies. Early recognition is very important. There is no standard of care due to the rare frequency of these tumours.