Q: I am a middle-aged man and for the past three months, I have been experiencing persistent lower abdominal pain. It is worse on the right side. I have occasional constipation and, sometimes, I have to take laxatives to manage this. Recently, I went to the doctor and he suggested that I get a CT scan of my belly to assess the problem. The scan shows that I have some abnormalities in my appendix and my doctor is worried that it might be cancer. I was astonished. I have never heard of cancer of the appendix. Most people who I spoke to told me that it can get infected or inflamed but no one has heard of cancer of the appendix. If I truly have cancer of the appendix, what are my treatment options? Will I need chemotherapy? Can it be treated without surgery? How long can one live with it should I choose not to have any intervention?
