Also known as: Appendiceal cancer, appendiceal tumor.

What is it? Appendix cancer is a gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. It grows inside your appendix, a small pouch shaped like a sausage that connects to your colon.

Appendix cancer affects 1 to 2 people per million. Because it is so rare, statistics on survival rates aren’t always solid. In general, the outcome depends on how early it is caught and how far it has spread.

Symptoms:

• Appendicitis, a painful swelling in the abdomen; most cases are not caused by cancer
• Bloating
• Jelly belly, a buildup of fluid in the abdomen

Treatments:

• Surgery: This is the mainstay for treating appendix cancer. Surgeons may perform an appendectomy, removing your appendix. They may also perform a hemicolectomy, removing a section of colon.
• Chemotherapy: This is medication that kills cancer cells. The basic idea is simple: The medication attacks cells that divide rapidly, like cancer cells.
• HIPEC (hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy): Surgeons remove your appendix and any tumors that have spread from it. Then they flood your abdominal cavity with chemotherapy medication.

Meet our team of experts who specialize in GI cancer.

Learn more:

• Appendiceal Cancer, National Cancer Institute.
• Appendix Cancer, Cancer.net
• Appendix Cancer Pseudomyxoma Peritonei Research Foundation

What is it? Pseudomyxoma peritonei occurs in the peritoneum, a large cavity in your abdomen containing your stomach, liver and intestines.

This cancer begins with a small tumor in your appendix, a small pouch shaped like a sausage. The tumor grows through the wall of the appendix and erupts into the peritoneum. From there it spreads and creates more tumors. Pseudomyxoma peritonei affects 1 to 2 people per million.

Symptoms:

• Appendicitis, a painful swelling in the abdomen; most cases are not caused by cancer
• Bloating
• Jelly belly, a buildup of fluid in the abdomen

Treatments:

• Surgery: This is the mainstay for treating appendix cancer. Surgeons may perform an appendectomy, removing your appendix. They may also perform a hemicolectomy, removing a section of colon.
• Chemotherapy: This is medication that kills cancer cells. The basic idea is simple: the medication attacks cells that divide rapidly, like cancer cells.
• HIPEC (hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy): Surgeons remove your appendix and any tumors that have spread from it. Then they flood your abdominal cavity with chemotherapy medication.

Meet our team of experts who specialize in GI cancer.

Learn more:

• Appendix Cancer Pseudomyxoma Peritonei Research Foundation

What is it? Penile cancer most commonly occurs on the head or foreskin of the penis, but it can occur on other parts, as well.

About 2,000 cases are reported each year in the United States. It is more common in men who have:

• Been exposed to the human papilloma virus (HPV)
• Phimosis (difficulty pulling back the foreskin)

Symptoms:

• A growing sore or lump on the penis, especially on the head or foreskin.
• Thickening and reddening of the skin on the penis.
• Enlarged groin lymph nodes.

Treatments:

• Topical therapy: When caught early, penile cancer can often be treated with skin creams which kill the cancer cells without the need for surgery. The creams may contain chemotherapy medication or immunotherapy medication.
• Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy uses beams of high-energy particles to destroy cancer cells. It is sometimes combined with surgery or chemotherapy.
• Surgery: Our surgeons are experts in a variety of techniques to remove penile cancer while preserving as much appearance and function as possible. These include laser surgery, cryosurgery, and Mohs surgery.
• When removal of lymph nodes is necessary, we use minimally invasive techniques like laparoscopy or robotic surgery to minimize side effects and hasten recovery.
•  Our surgeons are also experts in reconstructive surgery when this is necessary.

Survivorship:

• Our goal is not just to eliminate cancer but to restore health and well-being. Our doctors are experts in sexual medicine and work with physical therapists, occupational therapists, sex therapists, and psychologists to help you live well after treatment.

Meet our team of experts who specialize in urologic cancer.

Learn more:

• Penile Cancer, National Cancer Institute
• Penile Cancer, Cancer Support Community

Also known as: Cutaneous lymphoma.

What is it? Lymphoma is a disease of the lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. Lymphocytes are produced by your bone marrow and travel through your blood, lymph system and other tissues.

In most cases, the cancer cells circulate in the blood or the lymph system. But in some cases, they clump together to form tumors in your skin.

There are several types of skin lymphoma. Some grow fast, some slow. Some are highly treatable. Some are aggressive.

Symptoms: Skin lymphoma can be hard to tell apart from other skin inflammations. Signs include:

• Inflamed, itchy welts or patches
• Raised bumps or patches
• Discolored lesions
• Tumor or mass in or under the skin

Treatments:

• Skin-directed treatment: When the lymphoma involves smaller areas of the body, doctors often treat it with topical drugs such as steroids, ultraviolet light, surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy to destroy tumors.
• Systemic treatment: When the lymphoma is more widespread, doctors use chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy to attack cancer cells throughout the body.
• Chemotherapy: This is medication that kills cancer cells. Typically the medication damages fast-growing cells, like cancer cells, so that they die.
• Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy uses your own immune system to destroy cancer cells. Doctors may use medications like rituximab, which locks onto a protein on a cancer cell’s surface, then signals your immune system to destroy the cell.
• Targeted therapy: Some cancer cells divide uncontrollably because they have a molecular switch that is stuck in the “on” position. Targeted therapy medications take advantage of this by locking onto the switch and turning it off.
• Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy uses beams of energy to damage cancer cells so that they die. We often use a technique known as total skin electron beam therapy when skin lymphoma involves a smaller area of the body.

Meet our team of experts who specialize in lymphoma and blood cancers.

Learn more:

• Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation
• Living with Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
• Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma, Lymphoma Research Foundation.
• Cutaneous B-Cell Lymphoma, Lymphoma Research Foundation.
• Lymphoma of the Skin, American Cancer Society.