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Appendiceal mucocele with concomitant colonic cancer

Report of two cases

  • Case Reports
  • Published:
Diseases of the Colon & Rectum

Abstract

PURPOSE: Mucocele of the appendix is an uncommon disorder, usually found incidentally during ultrasonography or radiographic studies. We report two cases of combined appendiceal mucocele and colonic cancer. METHODS: The two cases were analyzed for the clinicopathologic characteristics such as history, presentation, laboratory data, radiologic and endoscopic studies, pathology, and p53 immunoreactivity. RESULTS: Two patients were diagnosed with an appendiceal mucocele by ultrasound of the abdomen, together with computed tomography. Colonoscopic examination subsequently revealed synchronous colonic adenocarcinoma in both patients. Ileocecal resection following endoscopic polypectomy and a right hemicolectomy was performed for each patient. An appendiceal mucocele was histologically diagnosed as a mucinous cystadenoma. Immunohistochemical detection of abnormally high level of p53 protein was observed in colonic adenocarcinomas of both patients, whereas both appendiceal cystadenomas were negative for p53. CONCLUSIONS: To be remembered is the high frequency of concomitant gastrointestinal tumors in patients with appendiceal mucocele, especially caused by mucinous neoplasms. A total colonoscopic surveillance will afford earlier diagnosis of synchronous colonic cancers in these patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. First Department of Surgery, Okayama University Medical School, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, 700, Okayama, Japan

    Toshiyoshi Fujiwara M.D., Akio Hizuta M.D., Hiromi Iwagaki M.D., Tsuyoshi Matsuno M.D., Madoka Hamada M.D., Noriaki Tanaka M.D. & Kunzo Orita M.D.

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  1. Toshiyoshi Fujiwara M.D.
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  2. Akio Hizuta M.D.
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  3. Hiromi Iwagaki M.D.
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  4. Tsuyoshi Matsuno M.D.
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  5. Madoka Hamada M.D.
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  6. Noriaki Tanaka M.D.
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  7. Kunzo Orita M.D.
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Additional information

Supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture, Japan.

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Fujiwara, T., Hizuta, A., Iwagaki, H. et al. Appendiceal mucocele with concomitant colonic cancer. Dis Colon Rectum 39, 232–236 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02068082

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02068082

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