How is appendix cancer treated?

How is appendix cancer treated?

There are several approaches when it comes to treating appendix cancer. Your healthcare provider will take several things into account before planning your treatment, including the size and stage of the tumor, your overall health and your personal preferences. Appendix cancer treatments may include:

• Surgery. Removal of the appendix may be enough to treat small tumors (less than 1 or 2 centimeters in size). However, larger tumors are usually more aggressive and require secondary surgery to remove more tissue. Possible procedures include hemicolectomy (removing part of your colon) and debulking surgery — a procedure in which the surgeon removes as much of the tumor as possible. Debulking also removes accumulated mucus, which can help ease bloating. In rare instances, your healthcare provider may recommend the removal of the peritoneum (the lining of the abdomen). However, this surgery has significant side effects and may not be suitable for everyone.
• Chemotherapy. This treatment uses drugs to kill cancer cells. The medications are either injected directly into your bloodstream or given in pill form.
• Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). This treatment involves heating chemotherapy drugs and circulating them inside your abdominal cavity. HIPEC is typically performed at the same time as surgery, while you’re still under general anesthesia. This approach is more intense than traditional chemotherapy.
• Targeted drug therapy. The goal of this treatment is to target cancer cells and limit damage to healthy cells. Specific drugs target certain genes or proteins that encourage cancer growth. Common drugs used in targeted therapy for appendix cancer include cetuximab, bevacizumab, ramucirumab and panitumumab.