[Surgical treatment of malignant tumors of the appendix]

Malignant epithelial tumours of the appendix are rare. They are mostly diagnosed by the pathologist rather than by the surgeon. Very frequently patients with these tumours present themselves with clinical signs of acute appendicitis. Right hemicolectomy is postulated to be the appropriate treatment of choice in all patients with adenocarcinomas of the appendix (colon type, cystic type). On the other hand this radical approach should be applied only to selected cases with carcinoid tumours.