Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the incidence and clinical characteristics of mucinous neoplasms in appendiceal and ovarian specimens, and to assess the necessity of appendectomy in ovarian mucinous neoplasms.
Materials and Methods: This retrospective study reviewed all appendiceal and ovarian surgical specimens obtained over a 10-year period. Cases in which mucinous neoplasia was identified were analyzed in detail with respect to clinical history, prior appendectomy or oophorectomy, and histopathological features. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, median, frequency, percentage, minimum, and maximum) were used for data analysis.
Results: A total of 970 surgical cases were examined. Of these, 59.18% (n=574) involved appendiceal specimens, 40.72% (n=395) ovarian or tubo-ovarian specimens, and 0.1% (n=1) involved concurrent appendiceal and ovarian resection. Mucinous lesions were identified in 1.22% (n=7) of appendiceal specimens and 0.76% (n=3) of ovarian/tubo-ovarian specimens, representing 1.03% of all specimens.
Among these cases, the mean age was 48.8±19.15 years; four patients were male and six female. None had a prior history suggestive of mucinous neoplasia. Among female patients, mucinous neoplasms were localized to the appendix in 50% (n=3) and to the ovary in 50% (n=3); ovarian cases involved the right ovary in one patient and the left ovary in two patients. No evidence of malignancy or extra-organ involvement was identified in any case.
Conclusion: Invasion and infiltration are critical prognostic factors in mucinous neoplasms. The role of appendectomy in the management of ovarian mucinous tumors remains controversial. In this study, no causal association was observed between appendiceal and ovarian mucinous neoplasms. Based on these findings, appendectomy for staging or prophylactic purposes is not recommended in cases without evidence of appendiceal pathology.

Key words: Mucinous neoplasia, appendiceal mucinous lesion, ovarian neoplasia, appendectomy