Abstract
Background
Carcinoid tumors of the appendix are rare, and as such there are few data guiding their optimal treatment.
Methods
The analysis included all patients with malignant, typical carcinoid tumor of the appendix for whom complete data were available in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database between 1988 and 2003. Clinicopathologic factors predicting lymph node (LN) involvement and survival were determined.
Results
LN metastases were present in 44 of 89 patients (49%), including 4 of 27 patients (15%) with tumorsββ€β1.0βcm, 16 of 34 patients (47%) with tumorsβ>β1.0βcm butββ€β2.0βcm, and 24 of 28 patients (86%) with tumors >2.0βcm. Increasing tumor size predicted LN involvement, whereas age, gender, and depth of tumor invasion did not. Excluding patients with distant metastasis (DM), the 10βyear overall survival rates of patients with positive LNs and tumor sizes β€1.0βcm, >1.0βcm but β€2.0βcm, and >2.0βcm were 100%, 92%, and 91%, respectively.
Conclusions
Right hemicolectomy should be considered for patients with appendiceal carcinoid tumors >1.0βcm in size given their high incidence of LN metastases and limited data concerning the natural history of unresected LN metastases. J. Surg. Oncol. 2011;104:41β44. Β© 2011 WileyβLiss, Inc.