Rising Awareness for a Rare Cancer: Understanding Appendix Cancer
- Abdominal Cancers Alliance
- Nov 11
- 2 min read
Appendix cancer is extremely rare — so rare that it does not appear in the American Cancer Society’s 2025 cancer statistics report and is listed by the National Institutes of Health under “rare digestive tumors.” Each year, only about 3,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed. However, recent research shows that appendix cancer is becoming more common across all age groups.
Dr. Shanel Bhagwandin, surgical oncologist and Medical Director of the Gastrointestinal Surgical Oncology Program at Jupiter Medical Center in Florida, emphasizes that this rise makes early recognition and expert care even more important. A 2025 study from Vanderbilt University found that the incidence of appendix cancer has tripled to quadrupled among younger generations. While it is still more common in older adults, nearly 1 in 3 patients in the study were under age 50.
Why Appendix Cancer Can Be Hard to Detect
Appendix cancer is challenging to diagnose because:
Symptoms often mimic appendicitis
Many cases are discovered only after emergency surgery
There are several subtypes, and each behaves differently
Common symptoms that may signal appendix cancer include:
Persistent or vague pain in the lower right abdomen
Bloating or abdominal swelling
Changes in bowel habits
Unexplained weight loss
Loss of appetite
Fever
Dr. Bhagwandin encourages patients to seek specialist evaluation if symptoms persist or do not have a clear explanation.
The Importance of Specialist Care
Because appendix cancer behaves differently from more common cancers, treatment planning requires experience and a multidisciplinary approach. Treatment may include:
Surgery to remove the appendix or part of the colon
Chemotherapy
HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy), a specialized procedure where heated chemotherapy is circulated inside the abdomen after visible tumors have been surgically removed
Dr. Bhagwandin is currently the only surgeon in Palm Beach, Martin, and St. Lucie counties who performs HIPEC for advanced abdominal cancers, including appendix, colon, ovarian, peritoneal, and stomach cancers.
Personalized Care Matters
“Care for appendix cancer is personalized because each diagnosis is unique,” says Dr. Bhagwandin. The key is timely diagnosis, careful pathology review, and connection to a multidisciplinary cancer team with experience in treating rare abdominal tumors.
