Papillary cystadenocarcinoma of the appendiceal stump with mucocele and peritoneal metastases.

A 54-year-old Polynesian male developed a mucocele of the appendiceal stump 25 years after appendicectomy. Scattered peritoneal deposits up to 0.4 cm in diameter were also identified at laparotomy, and these were confined to the right iliac fossa. The cyst was excised with a right hemicolectomy and histology showed a mucus-producing papillary cystadenocarcinoma arising in the unburied appendiceal stump. There was invasion of the cyst wall and the peritoneal nodules contained metastatic tumour acini. The patient is well 12 months after surgery. This is a case of a rare tumour arising uniquely in an appendiceal stump and producing a mucocele. The term mucocele is discussed and recommendations made for its usage in pathological diagnosis.