Appendix removal linked to lower risk of colon cancer, study finds
Patients who had their inflamed appendix removed were less likely to develop colorectal cancer than those treated only with antibiotics, a new study shows.
Key Takeaways
AIA recent study has found that patients who underwent surgery to remove an inflamed appendix were less likely to develop colorectal cancer later on, compared to those who were treated with antibiotics alone.
The study included 15,774 patients who had surgery and 15,295 patients who received antibiotics.
According to results presented at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress in Washington, 0.7% of the surgery group developed colorectal cancer, compared to 1.7% of the antibiotics group. Appendix removal was associated with a 58% reduction in risk after accounting for individual risk factors.
Dr. Valentin Nfonsam of Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta explained that the appendix may play a role in the immune system and gut microbiome, contrary to previous beliefs that it was useless. However, he emphasized that the study does not prove appendix removal prevents cancer, nor does it mean every patient with appendicitis should have surgery.
He noted that antibiotic treatment remains an important option and called for further research to better understand the possible link between ongoing inflammation or microbiome changes and cancer risk.