A Case of Goblet Cell Carcinoid of the Appendix

Abstract

We report a case of goblet cell carcinoid tumor of the appendix. An 80-year-old man was diagnosed as having peritonitis due to acute appendicitis and an appendectomy was performed. The postoperative histologic investigation revealed a goblet cell carcinoid tumor of the proximal part of the appendix and a gangrenous change in its tip. Although there was no tumor cell infiltration at the surgical margin, we considered performing a right hemicolectomy, because of adhesion of the appendix to the cecum and the microscopic finding of intralymphatic invasion. However, taking the patient's age and his bad cardiac state into acount, we did not perform any subsequent operation. No evidence of metastasis was seen on post-operative diagnostic imagings. We also reviewed 23 cases of this rare tumor with histologic features of both carcinoid and adenocarcinoma in Japan. Our conclusion was that, if possible, a subsequent operation should be carried out, because of the rather malignant clinical behavior of this tumor. © 1992, The Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery. All rights reserved.