Appendiceal cancer affects about one or two people per million annually. Historically it has been thought that appendiceal cancer is not hereditary, but its rarity has presented challenges for understanding the characteristics of the disease and developing therapies. A research team led by Andreana Holowatyj, PhD, MSCI, assistant professor of Medicine and Cancer Biology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, analyzed multigene panel testing data from a nationwide clinical testing laboratory in the U.S. for a total of 131 patients with appendiceal cancer.