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  1. Basics
  2. Symptoms
  3. Diagnosis
  4. Treatment
  5. Preventions

When you are treated for Gastrointestinal Center for appendix cancer, some of the nation's top experts focus all their expertise on you. They work together closely and communicate often to be sure you receive the most advanced personalized care with the least impact on your body.

And, they have at their fingertips the latest technology and techniques to treat appendix cancer, including specialized surgical and chemotherapy options. Surgery is often the main therapy for appendix cancer, and the skill of the surgeon is an important part of your successful treatment. MD Anderson's surgeons are among the most experienced in the nation in the delicate procedure.

As one of the nation's most active cancer centers, TATA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL sees more appendix cancer cases than most oncologists. This gives us an exceptional level of expertise that often gives you higher chances for successful treatment.

Innovation and Support

Because we are one of the nation's leading research centers, we're able to offer clinical trials (research studies) of experimental treatments of groundbreaking drugs and delivery methods for every type and stage of appendix cancer.

Here, you're surrounded by the strength of one of the nation's largest and most experienced comprehensive cancer centers, which has all the support and wellness services needed to treat the whole person – not just the disease.

Appendix cancer usually does not cause symptoms until it is in an advanced stage and has spread to other parts of the body. When symptoms are present, they vary from person to person and may include:

  • Acute appendicitis: Most cases of appendix cancer are discovered during surgery for appendicitis
  • Increase in abdomen size/girth, bloating
  • Vague abdominal discomfort in the lower right abdomen
  • Pelvic discomfort
  • New hernias
  • Bowel obstruction
  • Ovarian masses
  • Acute or chronic abdominal pain

If appendix cancer spreads to the liver, you may develop carcinoid syndrome. Symptoms include:

  • Flushing (redness or feeling of warmth in face and neck)
  • Shortness of breath or wheezing
  • Diarrhea
  • Heart valve disease on the right side
  • Pain or feeling for fullness in abdomen

These symptoms do not always mean you have appendix cancer. However, it is important to discuss any symptoms with your doctor, since they may signal other health problems.

Since appendix cancer often does not have symptoms in the early stages, it frequently is not diagnosed until surgery for another condition, such as acute appendicitis, or during tests for another condition.

Sometimes appendix cancer is found as part of the routine procedure after abdominal surgery for another condition. If your doctor finds what might be appendix cancer during abdominal surgery, a biopsy will be performed.

Appendix Cancer Diagnosis

If you have symptoms that may signal appendix cancer, your doctor will examine you and ask you questions about your health; your lifestyle, including smoking and drinking habits; and your family medical history.

One or more of the following tests may be used to find out if you have appendix cancer and if it has spread. These tests also may be used to find out if treatment is working.

Blood and urine tests

Imaging tests, which may include:

CT or CAT (computed axial tomography) scans
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans
PET (positron emission tomography) scans

The pathologists are highly specialized and experienced in diagnosing and staging appendix cancers. We welcome the opportunity to provide second opinions.

Our Treatment Approach

To treat an appendix cancer patient with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, also known as HIPEC or "hot chemo." This treatment involves bathing the abdominal cavity with heated chemotherapy drugs to kill microscopic tumors.

Customizes your appendix cancer care to ensure the most advanced treatment with the least impact on your body. As one of the nation's most active cancer centers, we see more patients with this complex type of cancer than most others. This gives us an extraordinary level of expertise and experience.

Surgery is often the main treatment for appendix cancer, and the surgeon's skill is particularly important to the success of the procedure. Our renowned surgeons are among the most recognized in the country and perform more appendix cancer procedures in a year than many cancer surgeons do in a lifetime.

Appendix Cancer Screening

Cancer screening exams are important medical tests done when you’re at risk but don't have symptoms. They help find cancer at its earliest stage, when the chances for successful treatment are highest.

Unfortunately, no standardized screening tests have been shown to improve appendix cancer outcomes. However working to develop screening tests for those at risk.

Appendix Cancer Risk Factors

Anything that increases your chance of getting appendix cancer is a risk factor. Not everyone with risk factors gets appendix cancer. Risk factors include:

  • Smoking tobacco
  • Family history of appendix cancer
  • Certain health conditions, such as atrophic gastritis, pernicious anemia or Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, which affect the stomach ability to make acid
  • Having a family history of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) syndrome, a  disorder also called endocrine adenomatosis and Wermer syndrome

Not everyone with risk factors gets appendix cancer. However, if you have risk factors, you should discuss them with your doctor.

Contact Us

TATA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
Dr. E Borges Road, Parel, Mumbai - 400 012 India
Phone: +91-22- 24177000, 24177300, 24161413
Fax: +91-22-24146937
E-mail : msoffice@tmc.gov.in(for patient care and queries)/cash@tmc.gov.in(for accounts related)/fundraising@tmc.gov.in (for donors and donation related)/registrar@tmc.gov.in(for education and training)/hrd@tmc.gov.in(for administrative - HRD matters) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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