A Case of Invasive Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of the Appendix

Richmond Laryea^1, , Aazim Arif¹ and Aja Adams¹

¹Florida State College of Medicine, Ft. Pierce Campus, Ft. Pierce, FL USA

Cite this paper

Richmond Laryea, Aazim Arif and Aja Adams. A Case of Invasive Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of the Appendix. American Journal of Medical Case Reports. 2020; 8(7):187-188. doi: 10.12691/AJMCR-8-7-7

Abstract

Background: Although mucinous neoplasms are primarily found within the colon, there are rare instances in which these tumors arise from within the appendix. The appendix is a small blind pouch located at the beginning of the large colon. The incidence of primary appendicular mucoceles found in appendectomies is a rare occurrence, common in those over 50. These tumors often present with the symptoms of appendicitis. Of the appendiceal tumors, invasive mucinous appendicular carcinoma is rare subtype. If improperly managed, this malignancy may present with adverse tumor burden outcomes upon local invasion. Case Presentation: An 83-year-old male with a past medical history of GERD and hyperlipidemia presented with clinical symptoms of appendicitis. CT imaging of the abdomen was consistent with a distended appendix, also consistent with appendicitis. However, upon excision of the appendix, pathology revealed a rare occurrence of primary mucinous adenocarcinoma of the appendix. Conclusion: We present a case of primary mucinous adenocarcinoma of the appendix successfully managed with urgent surgical removal. Given the vague presentation of mucinous adenocarcinoma of the appendix prior to appendiceal rupture and local metastasis, this case demonstrates the importance of a surgical approach regarding appendicitis in the elderly population, rather than medical treatment.

Keywords

mucinous adenocarcinoma, appendix

Copyright

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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