Goblet Cell Adenocarcinoma of Appendix- Clinicopathological Analysis of a Rare Neoplasm-A Tertiary Care Center Study

Goblet cell adenocarcinoma (GCA) is a rare tumor described exclusively in the appendix, comprising < 1% of gastrointestinal tumors. The 2019 WHO classification of tumors of the digestive system has renamed and defined it. This study aims to analyze the clinical presentation and evaluate the histomorphological profile of GCA. A retrospective search of our database was done spanning a period of 10.5 years (July 2014-January 2025). Clinicopathological features were analyzed. Fourteen patients included had a median age of 50 years at the time of diagnosis with a male to female ratio of 1:0.75. Six patients presented with symptoms of acute to subacute intestinal obstruction. On imaging, these patients revealed circumferential thickening in the ileocecal region. Three of the female patients presented with symptoms predominantly pertaining to the gynecological tract. Histopathological evaluation revealed tubules and clusters of goblet-like mucinous cells with a variable number of endocrine cells and Paneth-like cells. Overall mean survival was 26 months and the median survival was 24 months. Recognition of GCA warrants a high degree of suspicion as they may present to different clinical departments owing to highly variable presentation and can be mistaken for signet ring cell adenocarcinoma on biopsy samples.