A Case of Early Carcinoma of the Appendix Diagnosed by Colonoscopic Examination

A 68-year-old woman underwent colonoscopic examination for positive occult blood. An adenomatoid lesion approximately 15 mm in diameter was seen in the cecum from the orifice of the vermiform appendix. As the lesion was pulled with biopsy forceps, the vermiform appendix invented, and therefore, the lesion was found to be a pedunculated polypous form that developed from an appendiceal mucous membrane. Thus, early carcinoma of the appendix was diagnosed and she underwent laparoscopic ileocecal resection. Primary carcinoma of the appendix is a relatively rare disease with poor prognosis for which early diagnosis is difficult due to the lack of symptoms. This is why it is often discovered at the advanced stage presenting as an intraabdominal mass or carcinomatous peritonitis. Here, we report such a case diagnosed preoperatively by colonoscopy and with a review of the literature.