the most common cause of pseudomyxoma peritonei.
Carcinoid tumors, which start in hormone-producing cells, make up more than half of all cases of appendix cancer, are more common in women, and usually occur in people in their 40s. Carcinoid tumors can also occur in the stomach, intestines, and lungs. This type of appendiceal cancer has a five-year survival rate of 85%. For people whose cancer has spread outside of the abdomen, however, the five-year survival rate drops to 34%.
What are the treatments?
There is presently no consensus in the medical community about the use of systemic chemotherapy and/or radiation in treating appendix cancer and PMP. Some individuals appear to benefit from systemic chemotherapy (typically the higher grade pathologies), while others do not.
There are no systemic chemotherapy regimens designed specifically for appendix cancer, so many appendix cancer patients who may benefit from systemic chemotherapy are typically given the same types of chemotherapy that are used for colon cancer such as 5-fluorouracil + leucovorin + oxaliplatin or irinotecan, otherwise known as FOLFOX or FOLFIRI, with or without a drug called bevacizumab, also known as Avastin®.
In general, there is no role for radiation in the management of appendix cancer that has spread in the abdominal cavity or PMP. Radiation may be used on an individual basis for example in situations where there is a high risk of recurrence in a localized space or for palliation of symptoms.
Neither systemic chemotherapy alone nor radiation has proven to be curative for appendix cancer or PMP.
For more information, please visit acpmp.org.
BDO’s Black History of Health series is designed to show the correlation between the health of historical black figures and Black Americans today. Many of the health disparities we currently experience have been in our community for centuries. This series is meant to bring these conditions to the forefront and provide blacks with preventative and management steps to reduce these disparities and improve the overall health of the Black American community. It’s time to change the narrative.