title: The role of appendectomy as part of the treatment of a mucinous borderline ovarian tumor.
abstract: Guidelines in surgical treatment of mucinous ovarian neoplasms recommend the use of appendectomy as a measure to rule out a primary appendiceal origin of the ovarian tumor and proper staging. In extension this guideline is also applied for mucinous borderline ovarian tumors (mBOTs). As borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) are often diagnosed postoperatively, most patients must undergo a second surgery to add appendectomy and staging to their surgical treatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the role of appendectomy as part of the surgical treatment of mucinous BOTs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective single institute based study was carried out. The authors evaluated the clinical charts of patients undergoing surgical treatment by a gynecologic oncologist in their institution for a mucinous BOT between January 1990 and January 2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-seven patients were included. Appendectomy was performed in 30% of patients during primary or secondary surgical treatment. No appendiceal carcinoma was identified in any of the cases. Five patients already had a previous appendectomy. In eight patients the appendix was described as normal during surgery and left in place. For six patients the authors did not retrieve any information on previous appendectomy neither on the intraoperative state of the appendix. In the present overall study population, 78% showed no appendiceal involvement. For the remaining patients this information was missing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Secondary appendectomy to rule out a primary appendiceal origin of the mucinous BOT should not be performed when the appendix is described as grossly normal during primary laparoscopic surgery.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cosyns
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Polyzos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carprieaux
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tournaye
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Sutter
mesh_terms: D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001063:Appendiceal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001065:Appendix / Q000473:pathology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult