Appendix carcinoma
diseaseOn this page
Also known as appendix cancercarcinoma of appendixcarcinoma of the appendixcarcinoma of vermiform appendixvermiform appendix carcinoma
Summary
Appendix carcinoma (MONDO:0003196) is a cancer with 1 cohort gene (1 CIViC-evidence somatic driver) and 41 clinical trials. Molecularly, GNAS R201H confers sensitivity to Trametinib in Appendix Cancer (CIViC Level C). Top therapeutic interventions include mitomycin, irinotecan, and nintedanib.
At a glance
- Classification: Cancer
- Cohort genes: 1
- Clinical trials: 41
- Precision-medicine evidence (CIViC): 1 subtype–drug association
Clinical features
No curated clinical features (Orphanet) for this disease.
Identifiers
Disease identifiers
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Canonical name | appendix carcinoma |
| Mondo ID | MONDO:0003196 |
| DOID | DOID:4902 |
| NCIT | C9330 |
| SNOMED CT | 448992002 |
| UMLS | C0728951 |
| MedGen | 196398 |
| GARD | 0023407 |
| Anatomy (UBERON) | UBERON:0001154 |
| Is cancer (heuristic) | yes |
Also known as: appendix cancer · appendix carcinoma · carcinoma of appendix · carcinoma of the appendix · carcinoma of vermiform appendix · vermiform appendix carcinoma
Disease family
An umbrella term covering 3 Mondo subtypes.
Classification path: human disease › disease by body system or component › digestive system disorder › intestinal disorder › large intestine disorder › colonic disorder › cecal disorder › cecal neoplasm › appendiceal neoplasm › appendix cancer › appendix carcinoma
Related subtypes (1): appendix lymphoma
Subtypes (3): appendix adenocarcinoma, goblet cell carcinoma, carcinoma in situ of appendix
Genetics & variants
GWAS landscape
No GWAS associations recorded — common-variant (GWAS) studies don’t cover this disease (typical for Mendelian / rare diseases). See the curated gene cohort and Mendelian overlap below.
Variant details and genetic-evidence tiers
No tiered GWAS variants or ClinVar records for this disease.
Genes & proteins
Mendelian disease overlap and somatic drivers
GenCC: 0 · Orphanet: 10 · OMIM-shared: 0 · Dual-evidence (GWAS+Mendelian): 0
Somatic driver evidence (intOGen + CIViC, cohort fanout)
| Gene | intOGen role | Cancer types | CIViC |
|---|---|---|---|
| GNAS | Act | BRCA,COADREAD,ESCA,HCC,LUAD,MBL,PAAD,PANCREAS | CIViC #2319 |
Orphanet rare-disease linkage (cohort genes)
| Gene | Orphanet ID | Rare disease |
|---|---|---|
| GNAS | Orphanet:189427 | Cushing syndrome due to bilateral macronodular adrenocortical disease |
| GNAS | Orphanet:2762 | Progressive osseous heteroplasia |
| GNAS | Orphanet:562 | McCune-Albright syndrome |
| GNAS | Orphanet:57782 | Mazabraud syndrome |
| GNAS | Orphanet:79443 | Pseudohypoparathyroidism type 1A |
| GNAS | Orphanet:79444 | Pseudohypoparathyroidism type 1C |
| GNAS | Orphanet:79445 | Pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism |
| GNAS | Orphanet:93276 | Polyostotic fibrous dysplasia |
| GNAS | Orphanet:93277 | Monostotic fibrous dysplasia |
| GNAS | Orphanet:94089 | Pseudohypoparathyroidism type 1B |
Cohort genes → proteins
1 cohort genes, 1 distinct canonical proteins.
Evidence partition
| Subset | Genes |
|---|---|
| civic_only | 1 |
Cohort genes (full)
| Symbol | HGNC | Ensembl | UniProt | Name | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GNAS | HGNC:4392 | ENSG00000087460 | O95467 | Neuroendocrine secretory protein 55 | civic_evidence |
Protein-family classification
Druggable: 0 · Difficult: 0 · Unknown: 1 · Druggable fraction: 0.0
Family distribution
Cohort families vs a genome-wide background (hypergeometric, BH-FDR; fold = observed/expected). Counts kept; sorted by enrichment, so the catch-all Other/Unknown bucket no longer leads.
| Family | Genes | Fold | FDR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other/Unknown | 1 | 1.8× | 0.558 |
Per-gene assignment
| Symbol | Family | Druggable? | EC | InterPro (top 3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GNAS | Other/Unknown | no | NESP55, Gprotein_alpha_S, Gprotein_alpha_su |
Expression context
Cohort genes with no expression data: 0.
1 cohort gene are a single-cell marker in ≥1 SCXA experiment.
Breadth distribution (Bgee present_calls)
| Bucket | Genes |
|---|---|
| narrow (1-5 tissues) | 0 |
| moderate (6-20) | 0 |
| broad (>20) | 1 |
| unknown | 0 |
Top tissues across cohort
| Tissue | Cohort genes |
|---|---|
| Brodmann (1909) area 46 | 1 |
| postcentral gyrus | 1 |
| type B pancreatic cell | 1 |
Per-gene tissue summary (top 30)
| Symbol | Bgee breadth | FANTOM5 breadth | SCXA | Top tissues |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GNAS | 312 | ubiquitous | marker | type B pancreatic cell, postcentral gyrus, Brodmann (1909) area 46 |
Protein interactions among cohort
Intra-cohort edges: 0.
Hub genes (top 10 by interactor count)
| Symbol | Interactor count |
|---|---|
| GNAS | 410 |
Structural data
PDB: 1 · AlphaFold-only: 0 · No structure: 0
Cohort genes with PDB structures (top 30)
| Symbol | UniProt | PDB entries |
|---|---|---|
| GNAS | O95467 | 490 |
Function
Pathway analysis
Distinct Reactome pathways touched by cohort: 13. Enrichment computed across 1 evidence-associated genes (1 with Reactome annotation).
Pathways by enrichment
Over-representation of cohort genes vs the genome-wide background (hypergeometric test, Benjamini-Hochberg FDR; fold = observed/expected over 1 annotated cohort genes). Counts and members are kept as ground-truth; sorted by enrichment.
| Pathway | Cohort genes | Fold | FDR | Sample cohort genes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PKA activation in glucagon signalling | 1 | 671.8× | 0.006 | GNAS |
| Prostacyclin signalling through prostacyclin receptor | 1 | 601.0× | 0.006 | GNAS |
| Glucagon signaling in metabolic regulation | 1 | 346.1× | 0.006 | GNAS |
| Glucagon-type ligand receptors | 1 | 346.1× | 0.006 | GNAS |
| Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP1) regulates insulin secretion | 1 | 265.6× | 0.006 | GNAS |
| Vasopressin regulates renal water homeostasis via Aquaporins | 1 | 265.6× | 0.006 | GNAS |
| ADORA2B mediated anti-inflammatory cytokines production | 1 | 253.8× | 0.006 | GNAS |
| GPER1 signaling | 1 | 248.3× | 0.006 | GNAS |
| G alpha (z) signalling events | 1 | 233.1× | 0.006 | GNAS |
| Hedgehog ‘off’ state | 1 | 178.4× | 0.007 | GNAS |
| High laminar flow shear stress activates signaling by PIEZO1 and PECAM1:CDH5:KDR in endothelial cells | 1 | 160.8× | 0.007 | GNAS |
| G alpha (s) signalling events | 1 | 73.2× | 0.015 | GNAS |
| G alpha (i) signalling events | 1 | 39.0× | 0.026 | GNAS |
GO biological processes by enrichment
Over-representation of cohort genes vs the genome-wide background (hypergeometric test, Benjamini-Hochberg FDR; fold = observed/expected over 1 annotated cohort genes). Counts and members are kept as ground-truth; sorted by enrichment.
| GO term | Cohort genes | Fold | FDR | Sample cohort genes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| adenylate cyclase-activating G protein-coupled bile acid receptor signaling pathway | 1 | 5617.3× | 0.002 | GNAS |
| response to parathyroid hormone | 1 | 4213.0× | 0.002 | GNAS |
| adenylate cyclase-activating serotonin receptor signaling pathway | 1 | 3370.4× | 0.002 | GNAS |
| hair follicle placode formation | 1 | 3370.4× | 0.002 | GNAS |
| regulation of skeletal muscle contraction | 1 | 2808.7× | 0.002 | GNAS |
| cellular response to catecholamine stimulus | 1 | 2407.4× | 0.002 | GNAS |
| adenylate cyclase-activating dopamine receptor signaling pathway | 1 | 1532.0× | 0.002 | GNAS |
| intracellular transport | 1 | 1532.0× | 0.002 | GNAS |
| response to prostaglandin E | 1 | 1404.3× | 0.002 | GNAS |
| adenylate cyclase-activating adrenergic receptor signaling pathway | 1 | 1203.7× | 0.002 | GNAS |
| activation of adenylate cyclase activity | 1 | 1123.5× | 0.002 | GNAS |
| sensory perception of chemical stimulus | 1 | 1123.5× | 0.002 | GNAS |
| negative regulation of multicellular organism growth | 1 | 1123.5× | 0.002 | GNAS |
| cellular response to glucagon stimulus | 1 | 842.6× | 0.003 | GNAS |
| cellular response to prostaglandin E stimulus | 1 | 842.6× | 0.003 | GNAS |
| developmental growth | 1 | 732.7× | 0.003 | GNAS |
| cellular response to acidic pH | 1 | 732.7× | 0.003 | GNAS |
| vascular endothelial cell response to laminar fluid shear stress | 1 | 732.7× | 0.003 | GNAS |
| negative regulation of inflammatory response to antigenic stimulus | 1 | 601.9× | 0.003 | GNAS |
| intracellular glucose homeostasis | 1 | 581.1× | 0.003 | GNAS |
| renal water homeostasis | 1 | 510.7× | 0.003 | GNAS |
| positive regulation of insulin secretion involved in cellular response to glucose stimulus | 1 | 374.5× | 0.004 | GNAS |
| platelet aggregation | 1 | 337.0× | 0.004 | GNAS |
| cognition | 1 | 285.6× | 0.005 | GNAS |
| bone development | 1 | 276.3× | 0.005 | GNAS |
| regulation of signal transduction | 1 | 267.5× | 0.005 | GNAS |
| protein secretion | 1 | 263.3× | 0.005 | GNAS |
| positive regulation of insulin secretion | 1 | 255.3× | 0.005 | GNAS |
| female pregnancy | 1 | 210.7× | 0.005 | GNAS |
| positive regulation of cold-induced thermogenesis | 1 | 163.6× | 0.007 | GNAS |
Therapeutics
Drug target analysis
Approved (phase 4): 0 · Phase ≥3: 0 · Phased (≥1): 0 · Undrugged: 1
Druggability breadth: 1 of 1 evidence-associated genes (100%) have a ChEMBL target (buckets above are over the deeply-mined display cohort).
Top cohort targets by molecule count
| Symbol | Molecules | Max phase |
|---|---|---|
| GNAS | 0 | 0 |
Bioactivity and enzyme data
Enzyme cohort genes (≥1 EC): 0.
Pharmacogenomics
Cohort genes with a PharmGKB record: 1; with CPIC/DPWG dosing guidelines: 0.
No cohort gene has a CPIC/DPWG genotype-guided dosing guideline (PharmGKB).
Drug repurposing candidates
0 approved/phased drugs hit cohort targets but don’t yet appear in disease-level clinical trials. Target-inhibition rationale is strongest for cancer driver genes; a bioactivity hit is a screening signal, not a treatment claim.
Druggability pyramid
Cohort genes binned by druggability tier (high → low):
| Tier | Definition | Genes | Symbols |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Approved (phase 4 drug) | 0 | |
| B | Phased (≥1) drug, not yet approved | 0 | |
| C | Druggable family + PDB, no drug | 0 | |
| D | Druggable family + AlphaFold only, no drug | 0 | |
| E | Difficult family or no structure, no drug | 1 | GNAS |
Undrugged target profiles
1 cohort genes are undrugged. Ranked by ‘starting-point quality’ (assay depth + drugged-partner adjacency).
| Symbol | ChEMBL assays | Drugged partners (top 3) |
|---|---|---|
| GNAS | 0 | — |
Clinical trials & evidence
Clinical trials
Clinical trials: 41.
Phase distribution (across all retrieved trials)
| Phase | Trials |
|---|---|
| Not specified | 20 |
| PHASE1 | 10 |
| PHASE2 | 9 |
| PHASE3 | 1 |
| PHASE1/PHASE2 | 1 |
Top trials by phase / activity
| NCT | Phase | Status | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCT07271355 | PHASE3 | NOT_YET_RECRUITING | Pressurized Intraperitoneal Aerosolized Chemotherapy With Mitomycin for the Treatment of Unresectable Appendix or Colorectal Cancer With Peritoneal Metastases, The IMPACT Trial |
| NCT01815359 | PHASE2 | ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING | ICARuS Post-operative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (EPIC) and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) After Optimal Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS) for Neoplasms of the Appendix, Colon or Rectum With Isolated Peritoneal Metastasis |
| NCT05472948 | PHASE2 | RECRUITING | Surufatinib and Sintilimab in Combination With Capecitabine for Metastatic Adenocarcinoma of Small Intestine or Appendix Carcinoma |
| NCT05969860 | PHASE2 | RECRUITING | At-Home Cancer Directed Therapy Versus in Clinic for the Treatment of Patients With Advanced Cancer |
| NCT00006112 | PHASE2 | UNKNOWN | Fluorouracil With or Without Mitomycin in Treating Patients With Peritoneal Cancer |
| NCT00310076 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Thalidomide in Treating Patients Who Have Undergone Surgery and Chemotherapy for Cancer That Has Spread Throughout the Abdomen Due to Colorectal Cancer or Appendix Cancer |
| NCT00903396 | PHASE2 | TERMINATED | Palonosetron Hydrochloride in Preventing Nausea and Vomiting Caused by Radiation Therapy in Patients With Primary Abdominal Cancer |
| NCT01580410 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Surgery and Oxaliplatin or Mitomycin C in Treating Patients With Tumors of the Appendix |
| NCT03287947 | PHASE2 | TERMINATED | LCI-GI-APX-NIN-001: Nintedanib in Metastatic Appendiceal Carcinoma |
| NCT04505553 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Oral Cryotherapy Plus Acupressure and Acupuncture Versus Oral Cryotherapy for Decreasing Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy From Oxaliplatin-Based Chemotherapy in Patients With Gastrointestinal Cancer |
| NCT04902872 | PHASE1/PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Study of CBX-12 in Subjects With Advanced or Metastatic Refractory Solid Tumors |
| NCT04329494 | PHASE1 | RECRUITING | PIPAC for the Treatment of Peritoneal Carcinomatosis in Patients With Ovarian, Uterine, Appendiceal, Colorectal, or Gastric Cancer |
| NCT05277766 | PHASE1 | RECRUITING | Intraperitoneal Aerosolized Nanoliposomal Irinotecan (Nal-IRI) in Peritoneal Carcinomatosis From Gastrointestinal Cancer |
| NCT00004074 | PHASE1 | COMPLETED | Interleukin-12 and Trastuzumab in Treating Patients With Cancer That Has High Levels of HER2/Neu |
| NCT00019773 | PHASE1 | COMPLETED | Oxaliplatin Plus Capecitabine in Treating Patients With Colorectal, Appendix, or Small Bowel Cancer |
| NCT00031681 | PHASE1 | COMPLETED | 7-Hydroxystaurosporine and Irinotecan Hydrochloride in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Unresectable Solid Tumors or Triple Negative Breast Cancer (Currently Accruing Only Triple-negative Breast Cancer Patients Since 6/8/2007) |
| NCT00397384 | PHASE1 | COMPLETED | Erlotinib Hydrochloride and Cetuximab in Treating Patients With Advanced Gastrointestinal Cancer, Head and Neck Cancer, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, or Colorectal Cancer |
| NCT00458809 | PHASE1 | COMPLETED | Intraperitoneal Hyperthermic Perfusion With Oxaliplatin in Treating Patients With Stage IV Peritoneal Cancer Due to Appendix Cancer or Colorectal Cancer |
| NCT00654160 | PHASE1 | COMPLETED | Irinotecan, Fluorouracil, and Leucovorin in Treating Patients With Advanced Gastrointestinal Cancer |
| NCT02833753 | PHASE1 | COMPLETED | Trial of Intraperitoneal (IP) Oxaliplatin in Combination With Intravenous FOLFIRI |
| NCT06216561 | PHASE1 | WITHDRAWN | Intraperitoneal LSTA1 in CRS-HIPEC |
| NCT04157322 | Not specified | ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING | Plasma 5hmC Signatures as a Marker of Colorectal / Appendiceal Peritoneal Metastasis |
| NCT04634448 | Not specified | NOT_YET_RECRUITING | The Prevalence of Appendiceal Tumours in Periappendicular Abscess |
| NCT04907643 | Not specified | RECRUITING | Virtual Reality for GI Cancer Pain to Improve Patient Reported Outcomes |
| NCT05623787 | Not specified | ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING | Diagnostic Value of Diffusion-weighted Magnetic Resonance in High-risk Colorectal and Appendiceal Neoplasms |
| NCT05734430 | Not specified | RECRUITING | Genetics of Appendix Cancer Study |
| NCT05780684 | Not specified | RECRUITING | Individualized Dose Escalation of 5-FU for Gastrointestinal Cancer |
| NCT05919758 | Not specified | RECRUITING | Value of Right-sided Hemicolectomy for Chldren With High-risk Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Appendix |
| NCT06263088 | Not specified | RECRUITING | EQUITY GI: A Prospective Study to Enhance Quality, Inclusivity, and Trial Participation in Black Patients With Gastrointestinal Cancer. |
| NCT06715839 | Not specified | RECRUITING | Target-specific immunoPET Imaging of Digestive System Carcinoma |
| NCT07283939 | Not specified | RECRUITING | Studying the PAGODA Algorithm for Chemotherapy Dose Changes to Prevent Unplanned Treatment Delays |
| NCT00087191 | Not specified | TERMINATED | EF5 and Motexafin Lutetium in Detecting Tumor Cells in Patients With Abdominal or Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer |
| NCT01126346 | Not specified | COMPLETED | Quality of Life and Survivorship Care in Patients Undergoing Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) |
| NCT02489422 | Not specified | COMPLETED | Programs To Support You During Chemotherapy |
| NCT03210298 | Not specified | UNKNOWN | International Registry of Patients Treated With Pressurized IntraPeritoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy (PIPAC) |
| NCT04028479 | Not specified | COMPLETED | The Registry of Oncology Outcomes Associated With Testing and Treatment |
| NCT04526886 | Not specified | COMPLETED | Clinical Trial of a Novel Dose Adjustment Algorithm for Preventing Cytopenia-Related Delays During FOLFOX Chemotherapy |
| NCT04985357 | Not specified | WITHDRAWN | Defining the Clinical Potential of Mass Response As a Biomarker for Patient Tumor Sensitivity to Drugs |
| NCT05083338 | Not specified | COMPLETED | Psychological, Psychophysical and Epigenetic Determinants of Chronic Pain After Cytoreductive - Hyperthermic Intraoperative Chemotherapy |
| NCT05305820 | Not specified | UNKNOWN | Perioperative Exercise and Nutritional Optimisation Prehabilitation Before Surgery for Patients With Peritoneal Malignancy |
Drugs tested across these trials (top 30)
| Molecule | Max phase | Trials referencing |
|---|---|---|
| MITOMYCIN | 4 | 4 |
| IRINOTECAN | 4 | 1 |
| NINTEDANIB | 4 | 1 |
| PALONOSETRON HYDROCHLORIDE | 4 | 1 |
| SURUFATINIB | 3 | 1 |
| CERTEPETIDE | 2 | 1 |
| EDODEKIN ALFA | 2 | 1 |
| UCN-01 | 2 | 1 |
| CHEMBL4071382 | 0 | 2 |
| CHEMBL5175144 | 0 | 2 |
| CHEMBL1236539 | 0 | 1 |
| MOTEXAFIN LUTETIUM | -1 | 1 |
Precision-medicine subtype map (CIViC)
Drug × molecular subtype: 1 predictive associations from 1 curated evidence items.
| Molecular subtype | Therapy | Effect | Level | CIViC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GNAS R201H | Trametinib | Sensitivity/Response | CIViC C | EID8676 |
Related Atlas pages
- Cohort genes: GNAS
- Drugs: Mitomycin, Irinotecan, Nintedanib, Palonosetron, Surufatinib, Trametinib