7 Things You Didn’t Know about Rare Appendix Cancer

• This cancer is rare, and does not occur frequently, but if left untreated it can result in death.
• Cancer of the appendix statistics may not be extremely helpful if you have this disease, because some patients with low recovery odds will survive and other patients with a high chance of survival will succumb to the disease.

Cancer of the appendix can be a very serious condition, and can be fatal if left untreated. There are some appendix cancer facts that you should be aware of:

1. What Is Appendix Cancer?

This cancer is rare, and does not occur frequently, but if left untreated it can result in death. Between six hundred and one thousand Americans will be diagnosed with cancer of the appendix this year. If diagnosed early, before tumors are too large and the cancer has spread, the survival rate for this cancer is roughly eighty percent. Once the disease has spread or the tumors become too large then the survival rate may drop significantly.


2. Types of Tumors

There are several different types of appendix cancer tumors, including carcinoid tumors, mucinous cystadenocarcinoma tumors, colonic type adenocarcinoma, signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma, and paraganglioma. Some of these tumors are aggressive and spread quickly, while others are not very aggressive and are usually found after the surgical removal of your appendix.

3. Signs and Symptoms

Signs of appendix cancer can vary, from none to many different symptoms, and this will depend in part on the type of tumor you have. You may develop fluid in your abdomen, and experience bloating. You can also feel pain in the abdomen or pelvic area. You can get appendicitis, and you may see your waist get bigger and your belly button protruding. Other signs of appendix cancer can include infertility and changes in the way your bowel functions.

4. Cancer Staging

Staging in appendix cancer describes the extent of the cancer, where it is located, if the cancer has spread to any other organs, and if the cancer is affecting any of your other functions, including organ functions. With appendix cancer, staging includes determining the spread of the cancer, and this can be a localized spread, which means the cancer has not spread beyond the organ wall, a regional spread, which means the cancer has spread to tissues which are close by, and a distant spread, which means the tumor has spread in a wide area and reaches distant tissues. Cancer can also be termed recurrent if it was treated and then the cancer returns. The tumor grade is also used to stage the cancer, and this relies on how close to normal tissue the tumor is.

5. Treatment Options

Treatments available for cancer of the appendix will depend on many different factors, including the size of the tumor, the exact location of the tumor, if the cancer has spread, and your health and any other medical conditions. Usually you will have a team of cancer specialists who will discuss all the appropriate options. Some treatment options can include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and medications to control the symptoms of both the cancer symptoms and the treatments used.

6. Risk Factors

Appendix cancer risk factors can include factors you can control and factors that you can not change. Your age and genetics can be risk factors, and so can smoking, stress and poor diet. Things like getting plenty of sleep, getting enough exercise, eating a healthy diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, and avoiding tobacco and alcohol products can help you prevent a high risk of any type of cancer, including appendix cancer.

7. Cancer Statistics

Cancer of the appendix statistics may not be extremely helpful if you have this disease, because some patients with low recovery odds will survive and other patients with a high chance of survival will succumb to the disease. Since every individual is different, each case of cancer of the appendix will also be somewhat different. Around 80% of people who develop this cancer will survive for five years if the tumors are detected when they are small.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.