[Difficult diagnosis: acute appendicitis and appendiceal/cecal carcinoma].
BACKGROUND
Primary carcinoma of the appendix vermiformis/caecum is very rare. The diagnosis can often be ascertained only postoperatively by histopathological means. Preoperative diagnosis is unusual.


RESULTS
We report on five patients with an adenocarcinoma of the appendix/base of caecom, all operated on between July 1998 and October 1999.


CONCLUSIONS
A hemicolectomy "en principe" is not necessary. However, ileocaecal resection should have been performed during the first operation and there should be no positive lymph nodes. Postoperative diagnosis of a carcinoma after simple appendectomy necessitates Reoperation with right hemicolectomy.
Kelm
C
C
Klinik für Allgemein-, Visceral- und Thoraxchirurgie, Klinikum Bayreuth. Christopher.Kelm@t-online.de
Ponsel
O
O
Benz
A C
AC
Stolte
M
M
Henneking
K
K
D000208:Acute Disease; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D001062:Appendectomy; D001063:Appendiceal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001065:Appendix / Q000473:pathology; D002430:Cecal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002432:Cecum / Q000473:pathology; D003082:Colectomy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012086:Reoperation