Neuroendocrine tumours in patients operated for acute appendicitis: a retrospective clinical study

Abstract

Introduction. The objective of the study was to determine the incidence of neuroendocrine tumours in patients undergoing appendectomy because of acute appendicitis and to investigate the treatment and follow-up of these tumours. Materials and methods. The data of 6592 patients who were operated for acute appendicitis in two different health centers, between January 2012 and May 2020, were obtained from an electronic database. Fourteen patients with neuroendocrine pathologies were included in the study. Results. Of the 6592 patients undergoing appendectomy, 14 had neuroendocrine tumours. Of these 14 patients, six were male and eight were female. The mean age of the patients was 36.71 years. Six of the tumours were distal, seven were medial and one was in the appendix radix. The mean tumour size was 1.17 cm. Right hemicolectomy was performed in two patients with appendix radix tumours (2 cm in size) and the remaining 12 patients underwent appendectomy. The mean follow-up duration was 36.4 months. Conclusions. The pathologies of the patients who undergo appendectomy for acute appendicitis should be closely monitored, cases with neuroendocrine tumours should be reevaluated, and treatment and follow-up of these cases should be done based on the tumour characteristics.

Keywords

• acute appendicitis
• neuroendocrine tumour
• carcinoid tumour
• surgery
• histopathology