A CASE OF GOBLET CELL CARCINOID OF THE APPENDIX

Abstract

We report a case of goblet cell carcinoid of the appendix. A 54-year-old man was seen at the hospital because of melena and abdominal pain of the right lower quadrant. On physical examination, a hen-egg-sized tumor was palpated with tenderness and muscle rigidity. CT scan and US showed a round-shaped mass, measuring 5cm in diameter, in the right lower abdomen. When a laparotomy was performed under the diagnosis of acute appendicitis with abscess, there were a firm tumor invading the ileum and markedly enlarged lymph nodes suggestive of metastasis along the ileocolic artery. Appendiceal cancer was diagnosed intraoperatively and an ileocecal resection with lymph node dissection of the ileocolic artery region was performed.
Histopathological examination revealed that the tumor was goblet cell carcinoid. Postoperatively, the patient received 6 courses of chemotherapy (Leucovorin-5FU) and has been doing well without recurrence to date. To our knowledge, only 58 cases have been reported in Japan.