PRIMARY APPENDICEAL NEOPLASMS

A retrospective review of the files of 1,740 appendectomies performed during a 10-year period disclosed 13 patients (0.7%) with primary appe ndiceal tumors. Adenocarcinoma of the appendix was diagnosed in 6 pati ents (0.3%), which is a two- to four-fold higher incidence than report ed in the literature. The other seven patients had benign tumors and o nly appendectomy was performed. The female to male ratio of adenocarci noma was 5:1. All six adenocarcinoma patients, classified histological ly as Dukes' B stage, underwent right hemicolectomy, and were disease free following a mean follow-up of 35 months. The results of our polic y, also recommended by others, confirmed the benefit of right hemicole ctomy in all patients with confirmed primary appendiceal carcinomas.