A Case of a Neuroendocrine Neoplasm of the Appendix in a Child

Abstract

A 13-year-old boy presented to our hospital with the complaint of right lower quadrant pain and was treated conservatively under the diagnosis of appendicitis with abscess formation. Two months later, we performed laparoscopic appendectomy. The histopathological diagnosis was positive for synaptophysin and chromogranin A, and the Ki-67 index was less than 1.0%. Based on the findings, we made the diagnosis of neuroendocrine neoplasm of the appendix (NET G1). Since there was no vascular invasion, the patient was followed up without additional treatment. At present, 2 years 6 months since the surgery, he remains alive with no evidence of recurrence. This disease is extremely rare in children, and it is difficult to diagnose preoperatively due to a lack of knowledge about the characteristic imaging findings. Therefore, even in pediatric patients, histopathological examination of the appendix is need for a confirmatory diagnosis.