This August, we've been recognizing Appendix Cancer Awareness Month on social media to bring more attention to this rare cancer. In case you missed it, here's a quick recap for the month!
Appendix cancer is rare and often misdiagnosed, making it important that specialized peritoneal surface malignancy surgeons and pathologists carefully review your case.
According to the National Cancer Institute, Appendix cancer is thought to affect just 1 or 2 people per 1 million each year.
For all appendix cancer types, the best treatment outcomes are achieved with complete Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC). In other words, the complete removal of all visible disease.
Risk Factors
Age: The biggest risk factor is age. Age of average diagnosis is 40 years
Gender: Occurs more frequently in women
Smoking tobacco
Family history of appendix cancer
Certain medical conditions that affect the stomach’s ability to make acid, such as atrophic gastritis or Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
Signs/Symptoms
Appendicitis: Most cases are found during appendectomy for appendicitis
Abdominal bloating
Abdominal or pelvic pain/tenderness
Unexplained weight gain/loss
Changes in bowel function
“Jelly Belly” - a nickname for the accumulation of mucinous, jelly-like material in the abdomen.
Evaluation
Physical exam
Imaging studies: CT scan, MRI or PET/CT scan
Blood work to include tumor markers (CA 19-9, CEA, CA 125, CRP)
A laparoscopic procedure may be recommended to assess the amount and location of the tumor or to determine if the tumor can be completely removed by CRS/HIPEC.
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