Clinicopathologic features and predictors for survival of mucinous and non-mucinous appendiceal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We report a study in patients with mucinous and non-mucinous appendiceal adenocarcinoma treated surgically whose records were examined to elucidate their clinicopathologic features and prognostic factors for survival.

METHODS

The medical records of 34 patients with mucinous and non-mucinous appendiceal adenocarcinoma (1991-2005) were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between mucinous and non-mucinous tumors in patient demographics, clinicopathologic features, type of operation and outcome. Non-mucinous tumors had a higher incidence of leukocytosis than mucinous ones. The overall 5-year survival rate for 34 patients with appendiceal adenocarcinoma was 35.8%. In the univariate analysis, predictors of survival were the type of operation, resectability, carcinomatosis and tumor stage. Tumor stage significantly influenced patient survival in the multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION

Mucinous appendiceal adenocarcinoma had clinicopathologic characteristics and a prognosis similar to non-mucinous, except that there was more leukocytosis in non-mucinous tumors. Tumor stage is an independent predictor for survival among patients with appendiceal adenocarcinoma.