Mucinous digestive tumors. Case reports and review of the literature.

We present three rare entities of mucinous tumors: appendiceal mucinous adenomas, enteroid mucinous cyst and pseudomyxoma peritonei, the latter as a developmental course or separate idiopathic etiology of mucinous tumors. We attempted to clarify the term of pseudomyxoma peritonei, a poorly understood condition, characterized by a diffuse intraperitoneal collection of gelatinous fluid with mucinous tumoral implants on the peritoneal surfaces. With this rare condition it is often difficult to establish the histological and developmental malignant or benign characteristics. We analyzed 4 patients admitted during the period of February 2000 - February 2002 in the First Surgical Clinic of St. Spiridon Hospital and in addition we referred to the current approach in the recent literature. In three of the four patients the diagnosis was possible preoperatively by imaging techniques and consequently they were operated by laparoscopic procedure for the complete removal of tumor cells at macroscopic level. We preferred to administrate chemotherapy accordingly to the malignant/ benign aspect, choosing the long term follow up of the patients to ward off the eventual relapse. We considered the future state of these cases to be uneventful, with a real chance of long term survival. In conclusion, the symptoms are not always specific, allowing errors in diagnosis. Imaging techniques offer real elements of diagnosis. Laparoscopic techniques could offer an oncologic approach with no less benefit compared to open surgery. This methodology also allows different surgery for a different pathology at the same time. The origin of these tumors is more frequently digestive and less ovarian.