OBJECTIVE: Epidemiologic studies have not been able definitely to exclude that appendectomy carries a cancer risk. This study was conducted to clarify whether appendectomy is associated with a subsequent increase in cancer risk, since appendectomy is frequently an elective procedure. METHODS: The present study included more than 82,000 persons who underwent appendectomy for acute appendicitis during 1977-89 according to the nation-wide Danish Hospital Discharge Register. During a follow-up interval of up to 17 years, cancer incidence was assessed by linkage to the Danish Cancer Registry and compared with the incidence in the general population of Denmark. RESULTS: The total number of malignancies among appendectomized persons was 1.05 times higher than expected with 95 percent confidence intervals of 0.99-1.11. There was no clear significant excess of any specific cancer type. CONCLUSION: During a postsurgery period of nearly two decades, results of our study did not support the hypothesis that either appendectomy or acute appendicitis are likely to be associated with malignant neoplasms.
OBJECTIVE: Epidemiologic studies have not been able definitely to exclude that appendectomy carries a cancer risk. This study was conducted to clarify whether appendectomy is associated with a subsequent increase in cancer risk, since appendectomy is frequently an elective procedure. METHODS: The present study included more than 82,000 persons who underwent appendectomy for acute appendicitis during 1977-89 according to the nation-wide Danish Hospital Discharge Register. During a follow-up interval of up to 17 years, cancer incidence was assessed by linkage to the Danish Cancer Registry and compared with the incidence in the general population of Denmark. RESULTS: The total number of malignancies among appendectomized persons was 1.05 times higher than expected with 95 percent confidence intervals of 0.99-1.11. There was no clear significant excess of any specific cancer type. CONCLUSION: During a postsurgery period of nearly two decades, results of our study did not support the hypothesis that either appendectomy or acute appendicitis are likely to be associated with malignant neoplasms.
Authors: Jun Wang; Thomas M Mack; Ann S Hamilton; Amie E Hwang; Bharat N Nathwani; Kamil Masood; Laura H Buchanan; Leslie Bernstein; Dennis M Deapen; Otoniel Martínez-Maza; Wendy Cozen Journal: Am J Epidemiol Date: 2015-08-12 Impact factor: 4.897
Authors: James R Cerhan; Eric A Engels; Wendy Cozen; Scott Davis; Richard K Severson; Lindsay M Morton; Gloria Gridley; Patricia Hartge; Martha Linet Journal: Int J Cancer Date: 2008-08-15 Impact factor: 7.396