ADENOCARCINOMA OF THE APPENDIX - AN UNUSUAL DISEASE

Objective: To describe our experience with primary appendiceal tumours . Design: Retrospective study. Setting: University hospital, Israel. S ubjects: 2520 patients who had appendicectomies during the 14 years, J anuary 1982-December 1996. Results: 22 patients 5 male and 17 female, mean age 56.2 years, had primary neoplasms; 14 were carcinoid tumours and villous adenomas and were treated by appendicectomy only. Adenocar cinoma was diagnosed in 8 patients (0.3%), 5 after appendicectomy (0.2 %) which is twice the reported incidence. They were all treated by rig ht hemicolectomy. Seven of the patients were classified as Dukes' B an d one as Dukes' C. All patients were alive and disease-free after a me an follow-up period of 57.4 months. Conclusion: Right hemicolectomy is the treatment of choice for adenocarcinoma of the appendix.