Primary adenocarcinoma of the vermiform appendix: a case report

A 65-year-old Caucasian man was admitted to our hospital after complaining of an acute onset pain located in his right inguinal fossa. Upon further examination of the patient, the radiological examinations revealed an inflamed appendix with increased wall thickness and the patient was subsequently taken to the operating room. The specimen sent to the pathology laboratory exhibited a smooth external appearance but further examination revealed an appendiceal encircling mass. The morphological characteristics of this mass were that of an adenocarcinoma of medium differentiation with a tubular growth pattern along with areas of necrosis. The patient underwent a right colectomy without the need of further chemotherapy. Adenocarcinoma of the vermiform appendix is a rare tumor with a reported incidence far lower than that of carcinoid or mucus cystadenoma of the same location. It is found in 0,2 out of 100,000 surgical specimens every year (0,1-0,2% of all appendectomies).