Appendix tumors in the era of laparoscopic appendectomy

The safety of laparoscopic appendectomy for the management of incidentally discovered appendiceal tumors has not yet been established.

Appendiceal tumor cases managed by laparoscopy or laparotomy over a 10-year period were reviewed.

The pathological diagnoses were 23 carcinoid and 20 cancerous lesions. The median patient ages were 36 and 69 years, respectively, for carcinoid and other tumors (p < 0.05). Acute appendicitis was present in 70% of carcinoid cases and 35% of other tumors (p < 0.05). Eight patients with carcinoid tumors were operated on by laparoscopy, whereas 15 underwent laparotomy. Laparoscopic and open procedures were performed in three and 17 patients with cancerous lesions, respectively. Invaded surgical margins were seen after laparoscopy in 20% of patients and open surgery in 6%. Synchronous colon carcinoma was detected in 14% of the patients with an appendix neoplasm. The 5-year survival rates were similar after both laparoscopic and open appendectomy for either carcinoid or other tumors.

Laparoscopic appendectomy for appendiceal tumors seems to have a slightly higher rate of inadequate resection. However, it is not associated with a significantly worse patient prognosis than open appendectomy.