The diagnosis and treatment of patients with adenocarcinoma of the appendix

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Objective To evaluate the clinical features of adenocarcinoma of the appendix.Methods The clinical data of 5 patients with adenocarcinoma of appendix hospitalized at our hospital from Sep 2005 to Dec 2010 were analyzed.Results Intraoperatively two cases were highly suspected of malignant tumor of the appendix,diagnosis of adenocarcinoma was confirmed by frozen pathology,and one stage right hemicolectomy was performed.One patient received simple appendectomy,but postoperative pathology showed adenocarcinoma of appendix and secondary right hemicolectomy was carried out two weeks later.One patient was preoperatively misdiagnosed as periappendiceal abscess and as a result fight hemicolectomy was performed because planned appendectomy was technically impossible.The postoperative pathology revealed adenocarcinoma of the appendix.In the last patient preoperative diagnosis was hypogastric space-occupying lesion with extensive intraabdominal metastasis.During exploration adenocarcinoma of the appendix with extensive metastasis was confirmed.Right hemicolectomy and carcinectomy was performed.Postoperatively all the 5 patients underwent regular chemotherapy.We followed them for 2 to 3 years and only the patient with intraabdominal metastasis at first laparotomy suffered from extensive recurrence 2 years after surgery.Conclusions The adenocarcinoma of appendix can be easily misdiagnosed as other diseases.Radiography,careful exploration during operation and frozen pathology help establish final diagnosis.Right hemicolectomy and postoperative chemotherapy are required in order to reduce tumor recurrence and prolong patients' survival. Key words: Appendiceal neoplasms ; Adenocarcinoma ; Colectomy ; Chemotherapy, cancer,regional perfusion