Your appendix is a narrow tube-shaped sac that connects to your colon near the beginning of your large intestines. Even though the purpose of your appendix is not clear experts believe it may be a part of your immune system.
Appendix cancer happens when healthy cells become abnormal and grow rapidly. These cancerous cells become a mass or tumor inside the appendix, which is often found by accident after surgical removal of the appendix.
According to statistics, it is a rare disease but studies say that the overall incidence of malignant appendiceal tumors grew by 232 per cent globally from 2000 to 2016. The National Cancer Institute says appendiceal cancer affects an estimated 1 or 2 people per 1 million population annually.
Bloating – a missed sign
And since it is rare, many signs of appendix cancer – often diagnosed in people in their 50s, get missed as they resemble symptoms of other diseases. If you suffer from bloating, you may feel your belly to be full and tight, often due to gas.
People confuse the condition with other reasons for a more noticeable belly, like abdominal wall laxity, or looseness. Bloating is a common indicator of many underlying chronic conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), indigestion, constipation, gastroparesis, and several other gynecological conditions.
According to Harvard Health, bloating causes pseudomyxoma peritonei – a condition which forms “jelly belly” – a distended abdomen caused by a mucin buildup which is one of the main signs of the deadly disease.
As the tumour grows, it can break through the appendix, causing the jelly-like substance to flow through the abdomen surrounding the digestive organs, like the colon, small bowel, and liver, and it eventually stops them from functioning properly.
Other signs and symptoms of appendix cancer
Apart from bloating, a few other signs of appendix cancer can be:
- Inflammation and infection in the appendix
- Abdominal pain
- Pain in the pelvic area
- Fluid buildup in the abdomen, known as ascites
- Changes in bowel function
- Nausea and vomiting
- Increase in waist size
- Fertility issues
What are the types of appendix cancer?
Studies say there are several classifications of appendix cancer, a few of which are as follows:
Neuroendocrine carcinoma
Also known as typical carcinoid, this tumour forms in certain cells from the wall of the bowel. It accounts for about half of all appendix cancers. It can metastasize, or spread, but can be successfully treated with surgery.
Mucinous adenocarcinoma of the appendix
Mucinous adenocarcinoma of the appendix occurs equally in males and females and is mostly discovered after a rupture of the tumor that leads to the release of mucin.
Colonic-type adenocarcinoma
This cancer – which starts usually in the base of your appendix, accounts for 10 per cent of appendix cancers and acts similarly to colorectal cancer.
Goblet cell adenocarcinoma
Goblet cell carcinoid develops in both neuroendocrine cells and a type of epithelial cell called goblet cells that produce mucin.
Risk factors of appendix cancer
According to experts, the main cause of appendix cancer is largely unknown and so, no avoidable risk factors have been identified. However, appendix cancer becomes more common with age and is rare in children.
However, a few potential risk factors have been suggested by experts, including:
- Pernicious anemia, a deficiency of vitamin B12
- Atrophic gastritis – long-term inflammation of the stomach lining
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, a condition of the digestive tract
- A family history of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 – a disorder that leads to tumors in the glands that produce hormones
- Smoking
