Appendicitis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Appendicitis, including details on symptoms, surgery, causes, treatment.

Surgical and chemotherapy treatment outcomes of goblet cell carcinoid: a tertiary cancer center experience.

Pham TH, Wolff B, Abraham SC, Drelichman E

Department of Colorectal Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street S.W., Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.

BACKGROUND: Goblet cell carcinoid (GCC) is a rare malignant tumor with distinct histological and clinical features. Our goals were to review the surgical and chemotherapy outcomes of patients with GCC. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of the Mayo Clinic database from 1984 to 2004 with a prospective follow-up of 57 patients with GCC. RESULTS: The age at diagnosis (mean +/- SE) was 55 +/- 13 years. The most common presentations were right lower quadrant pain mimicking appendicitis (70%) and right lower quadrant or pelvic mass (25%). Only patients with T4 lesions had positive mesenteric nodes, with a frequency of 28%. Fifty percent of female patients had metastasis to the ovaries. The disease-specific 5-year survivals for stages I, II, III, and IV were 100%, 76%, 22%, and 14%, respectively; the overall mean survival was 47 +/- 3 months. All stage I patients had simple appendectomy. The overall 5-year survival rates for patients with combined stages II to IV who underwent appendectomy versus right hemicolectomy were 43% and 34%, respectively (P = .604). The corresponding survival rates for adjuvant chemotherapy versus no chemotherapy were 32% and 27%, respectively (P = .151). CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis for patients with GCC tumors correlates well with the American Joint Committee on Cancer stage at initial presentation. Appendectomy alone seems adequate for stage I disease. For staging purposes, right hemicolectomy is appropriate for T4 tumors or stage II to III disease provided that it can be performed with minimal risk. Surgical debulking is a consideration but is controversial. Adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin regimen is minimally effective against GCC.

Published 17 February 2006 in Ann Surg Oncol, 13(3): 370-6.
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