Early stage appendix cancer may be found during surgery for acute appendicitis or when tests, such as a CT scan, are done for another condition in the abdominal area.
If you have symptoms that could be related to advanced appendix cancer, your doctor will do a full medical exam and may order the following:
Blood test
Urine screen
Imaging tests, such as CT, MRI and/or PET scans
If appendix cancer is suspected, the mass is removed and examined by a pathologist to determine if abnormal or cancerous cells are present. When a diagnosis is made, doctors will determine the cancer’s stage based on the tumor’s size and whether it has spread.