Adenocarcinoma of the Appendix as an Incidental Finding after Appendectomy for Suspected Acute Appendicitis
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Abstract
Appendiceal adenocarcinoma is a rare neoplasm of the gastrointestinal tract, usually diagnosed incidentally after an appendectomy performed for suspected acute appendicitis. We present the case of a 58-year-old female patient who was admitted to the emergency department with colicky abdominal pain of three weeks' duration, accompanied by nausea and constipation, unresponsive to medical treatment. Abdominopelvic CT suggested acute appendicitis, and an open appendectomy was performed, revealing a tumor-like appendix without classic inflammatory changes. Histopathological examination revealed a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma originating in the appendiceal mucosa with transmural infiltration extending to the serosa. Subsequently, a right hemicolectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy and ileotransverse anastomosis was performed laparoscopically, with a favorable postoperative course. This case highlights the diagnostic difficulty of appendix cancer and the importance of systematic histopathological analysis of appendectomy specimens.
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