Descripción clínico-morfológica y factores pronósticos en carcinomas de apéndice cecal: Estudio de cohorte

Abstract

Background: Malignant appendiceal tumors account for only 0.5% of all gastrointestinal tumors and there are usually diagnosed during the pathological study of excised appendices. Aim: To assess the factors influencing the survival of patients with appendiceal carcinomas. Material and Methods: Retrospective review of records of all primary appendiceal carcinomas diagnosed in the pathology unit of a regional hospital between 1993 and 2008. The surgical procedure, clinical history, morphological features of tumor and survival were recorded. Results: Eighty four patients aged 32 ± 15 years (44 women) with appendiceal carcinoma were identified. In 93% of patients, the clinical diagnosis was acute appendicitis. Sixty one patients (73%) had a carcinoid tumor, 20 (24%) an adenocarcinoma and three (3%), an adenocarcinoid tumor. Preoperative suspicion of a malignant tumor, level of tumor infiltration, pathological type, involvement of surgical borders, tumor size over 2 cm in the case of carcinoid tumors and the degree of differentiation of adenocarcinomas, had prognostic value. For adenocarcinomas, performing a right hemicolectomy significantly improved survival. Conclusions: Carcinoid tumors are the most common malignant tumor of the appendix. A right hemicolectomy may improve the survival of patients with appendiceal adenocarcinomas.