Appendiceal ganglioneuroma incidentally found during resection of recurrent rectal cancer: case report and review of the literature

Ganglioneuromas (GN) are benign neuroblastic tumors that arise from neural crest cells. Since they present with nonspecific symptoms, diagnosis is often incidental. We are reporting a case of an adult appendiceal GN incidentally found during rectal cancer surgery. A 42-year-old male was diagnosed with recurrent rectal cancer after experiencing urinary difficulties and buttock pain. A multiple-stage pelvic exenteration was carried out after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and chemoradiation. Prophylactic appendectomy was done during the course of surgery, and pathology reported an appendix with GN at the distal tip. GN are often found incidentally and rarely cause appendicitis. Depending on their location and size, they might become symptomatic. While there is some controversy on whether surgery is the treatment of choice for all GN, diagnosis is rarely apparent preoperatively, and all appendiceal masses should be resected.