Association between appendectomy and subsequent colorectal cancer development: an Asian population study.

Abstract

ObjectivesThe appendix may modulate colon microbiota and bowel inflammation. We investigated whether appendectomy alters colorectal cancer risk.MethodsWe identified a cohort of 75,979 patients who underwent appendectomy between 1997 and 1999 based on the insurance claims of Taiwan. A comparison cohort of 303,640 persons without appendectomy was selected randomly, frequency matched by age, sex, comorbidity and entry year was also selected. We monitored subsequent colorectal cancer development in both cohorts.ResultsThe overall colorectal cancer incidence was 14% higher in the appendectomy patients than in the comparison cohort (p ConclusionsResults of our study suggest that appendectomy in patients with appendicitis is likely associated with the development of colorectal cancer in the post-surgery period.