The Optimal Approach to Surgical Management of Goblet Cell Carcinoid of the Appendix: A Systematic Review

Goblet cell carcinoid (GCC) is a rare and poorly understood appendiceal neoplasm, exhibiting mixed histological and aggressive clinical features. Current guidelines recommend right hemicolectomy in all cases, although there is conflicting evidence that appendicectomy alone may be sufficient. This review aims to identify the optimal surgical management for appendiceal GCC.

A systematic review was performed by searching MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus and the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials. Randomised controlled trials, cohort studies or large case series (>5 patients) reporting clinical outcomes for patients undergoing surgical management of GCC of the appendix were included. Outcomes extracted included participant and tumour characteristics, type of surgery and survival data.

A total of 1341 studies were retrieved. After duplicate removal, 796 titles were screened for relevance prior to abstract and full text review. A total of six studies were included for analysis, comprising 3177 patients-1629 females and 1548 males. The median age ranged from 51 to 72 years. A total of 2329 patients underwent right hemicolectomy, while 824 were treated with appendicectomy only. Overall, the included studies report increased survival in patients undergoing right hemicolectomy compared to appendicectomy alone. A meta-analysis was not possible due to insufficient data reported in the published literature to date.

There is no consensus regarding the optimal surgical management of appendiceal GCC, as outcomes-based data comparing surgical interventions are lacking. It is possible that some patients with favourable features are overtreated. The absence of robust evidence to support a more conservative approach means that right hemicolectomy remains the standard of care for all patients, in keeping with current international guidelines. The rarity of this condition and limited data in the published studies remain barriers to evidence-based best clinical practice.