Incidental complete excision of appendiceal gastric cancer metastasis

Abstract

Gastric cancer is a common malignancy with high recurrence rates following surgical resection. A common site of disease recurrence is the peritoneum. We report the case of a 73-year-old female who had previously undergone a total gastrectomy for gastric cancer who presented acutely with features classical of acute appendicitis and underwent open appendectomy. Histological analysis showed metastasis of gastric cancer with clear resection margins. The patient recovered fully and has remained disease-free for 14 months following presentation. Peritoneal metastasis is associated with difficulty in treatment and poor prognosis. The unplanned excision of this patient's peritoneal metastasis has yielded a favourable clinical outcome in a difficult clinical situation.