Enhancing appendiceal cancer care: Towards evidence-based practice and continuous education for healthcare providers.

Abstract

e16377 Background: Appendiceal cancers (AC) are a set of rare and histologically diverse malignancies with distinct biological features and treatment implications. Despite surgical advances, there are gaps in the standardization of systemic therapies for AC. Hence, there is a pressing need to understand the current practice patterns amongst oncologists to facilitate unifying management strategies. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was distributed electronically among GI oncology specialists between April – October 2023 to map current practices in AC care. The survey contained 18 questions structured in three sections— participant demographics, treatment experiences, and management preferences for hypothetical cases. The analysis focused on response frequencies informing the need to develop targeted educational and research initiatives. Results: Most of the respondents (N = 104; response rate 22%), primarily from academic (86%) and urban settings (77%), manage up to 10 AC patients annually. Despite over five years of practice experience for 80% of respondents, high confidence in treating AC was modest (38%). The majority (83%) cited lack of guidelines and standardized treatments as a concern. The NCCN guidelines were commonly referred to, but only 13% were satisfied with AC education. For intermediate and high-grade AC, 63% and 53%, respectively, of respondents reported using perioperative chemotherapy with cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. 40% opted for systemic therapy for low-grade neoplasms. 5FU/Capecitabine and oxaliplatin were the most common regimens of choice, whereas irinotecan, anti-VEGF, and anti-EGFR agents were used less frequently. Surveillance primarily involved serum CEA (91%) and CT scans (99%), with PET, MRI, and ctDNA used by 20-30% of the respondents. Free-text comments noted deficient evidence and educational needs to guide clinical practice. Conclusions: Our study is the first to describe physician attitudes and practice patterns in the management of AC. The survey highlights that even experienced providers feel underconfident when treating AC patients and supports the need for better evidence and data for systemic therapies. About 40% of the respondents noted offering chemotherapy to low grade neoplasms – a disease that is not thought to respond to systemic therapy, highlighting the need for education and clinical trials to guide evidence-based decision-making in this disease. In addition, multidisciplinary, multi-institutional efforts to unify treatment approaches and enhance patient outcomes are needed.