[Long-term survival in carcinoid tumour of the appendix. An analysis of 8903 appendectomies].
BACKGROUND
Appendiceal carcinoids are the most frequent tumors of the appendix and are usually detected as an incidental finding in the final pathology report. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and pathological characteristics, surgical treatment and long-term survival in patients with an appendiceal carcinoid tumor.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective study of patients treated from 1980 to 2007 with a pathological diagnosis of appendiceal carcinoid tumor. In all patients, clinical and pathological characteristics, surgical treatment and long-term survival were evaluated.


RESULTS
In this period, 8903 appendectomies were performed. Carcinoid tumor was diagnosed in 40 patients (25 women and 15 men), aged 37+/-18 years old. The appendectomy was performed for appendicitis in 33 of these patients, and the final pathology report confirmed the diagnosis in 24. The tumor was localized in the distal third of the appendix in 24 patients (60%), and the size of the tumor was less than 1cm in 28 (70%). Twenty-nine (72.5%) of these tumors infiltrated the subserosal and/or the serosal layer. Three patients were treated with a complementary right colectomy and none had lymph node compromise. The mean follow-up was 81.2 months. The overall 5- year survival was 97.5%.


CONCLUSIONS
Appendiceal carcinoid tumor is usually detected incidentally in the pathological analysis in patients undergoing surgery for suspected appendicitis. Long-term survival is high with appendectomy alone.
Butte
Jean Michel
JM
Departamento de Cirugía Digestiva, División de Cirugía, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
García-Huidobro
María Angelica
MA
Torres
Javiera
J
Duarte
Ignacio
I
Zúñiga
Alvaro
A
Llanos
Osvaldo
O
D000328:Adult; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001063:Appendiceal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors