Appendiceal neoplasms with peritoneal dissemination: outcomes after cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Appendiceal neoplasms frequently present with peritoneal dissemination (PD) and have a clinical course marked by bowel obstruction and subsequent death. Few data have correlated outcome with appendiceal histology after cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy (IPHC). We have reviewed our experience with cytoreductive surgery and IPHC for PD from the appendix. METHODS: A total of 110 cases of PD from proven appendiceal neoplasms treated with IPHC were identified from a prospectively managed database. Tumor samples were classified on pathologic review as disseminated peritoneal adenomucinosis (n = 55), peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis (PMCA) with intermediate features (n = 18), PMCA (n = 29), or high-grade nonmucinous lesions (n = 8). A retrospective review was performed with long-term survival as the primary outcome measure. RESULTS: A total of 116 IPHCs were performed on 110 patients for appendiceal PD between 1993 and 2004. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates for all cases were 79.9% +/- 4.1%, 59.0% +/- 5.7%, and 53.4% +/- 6.5%, respectively. When stratified by histology, disseminated peritoneal adenomucinosis and intermediate tumors had better 3-year survival rates (77% +/- 7% and 81% +/- 10%) than PMCA and high-grade nonmucinous lesions (35% +/- 10% and 15% +/- 14%; P = .0032 for test of differences between groups). Age at presentation (P = .0134), performance status (P < .0001), time between diagnosis and IPHC (P = .0011), resection status (P = .0044), and length of hyperthermic chemoperfusion (P = .0193) were independently associated with survival. CONCLUSIONS: The data show that long-term survival is anticipated in most patients who are treated with cytoreduction and IPHC for appendiceal PD. The findings presented herein underscore the important prognostic characteristics that predict outcome after IPHC in patients with PD. In all, this work establishes a framework for the consideration of IPHC in future trials for appendiceal PD.

Resection of pulmonary metastasis from parathyroid carcinoma.

The management of metastasis from parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is an unusual challenge. Systemic therapy has minimal effect on the course of the disease and its associated hypercalcemia. Resection of isolated pulmonary metastases is an attractive option in the setting of recurrent hypercalcemia. We report a case of a patient who underwent resection of multiple functional PC pulmonary metastases almost 20 years after the original neck resection. The patient originally presented in 1982 with what was thought to be hyperparathyroidism secondary to a parathyroid adenoma. Surgical exploration revealed the presence of a well differentiated PC. The patient was transiently normocalcemic, but underwent surgical exploration in 1993 and 1996 for recurrent PC in the neck. The patient again improved, but presented in 2001 with diffuse arthralgia, fatigue, malaise, weight loss, and decreased appetite. She was found to have a serum calcium of 12.7 mg/dL and an intact parathyroid hormone of 1542 pmol/L. Computed tomography identified the presence of two right-sided and two left-sided pulmonary masses. Sternotomy with bilateral pulmonary metastectomy was performed. Functional PC metastasis was confirmed on pathological examination. One year following metastectomy the patient is hypocalcemic, requiring oral calcium and vitamin D supplementation. Functional pulmonary metastasis from PC is a rare cause of hypercalcemia. Complete resection of isolated pulmonary metastases can provide effective palliation with long-term survival.