[Cancer of the appendix. A report of 2 cases]

The paper reports two cases of adenocarcinoma of the appendix. Following a review of the literature on this neoplasia, it concludes that prognosis is poor on account of the early spread of the disease, the low ratio of suspected disease, and difficulties of diagnosis prior to surgery. The preferred surgical treatment is right hemicolectomy which consents a 5-year survival rate of 50% in comparison to 20% achieved with appendectomy alone. The authors also stress the importance of carrying out histological tests after any type of appendectomy.