The role of previous cholecystectomy in patients with colorectal cancer

Abstract

Summary. There is a large body of literature which undertakes to look at a possible association between cholecystectomy and colorectal cancer. We set out to conduct a meta-analysis to investigate this. The overall odds ratio for all studies looked at was 1.36 with 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.07 to 1.74, significant at the 5% level (p = 0.014). The overall odds ratio fora subset of studies deemed "good studies" established by a customised ranking score was 1.66 (1.34 to 2.03), p < 0.0001. The odds ratios for cohort and necropsy studies were also ascertained and discussed. Our results would tend to support the above hypothesis. However, the limitations of this review are also discussed, and finally we suggest that if such ah association is indeed real then the increased risk is likely to be small.

Gallstones Are Associated with Colonic Adenoma: A Meta‐analysis

“…Several meta-analyses have supported an association between cholecystectomy and colorectal cancer [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Because cholecystectomy is most often indicated for the treatment of gallstone disease [45], it remains unclear whether the increased risk of colorectal cancer in cholecystectomized patients may be due to previous gallstone disease rather than the removal of the gallbladder.…”

“…There have been a large number of conflicting studies exploring the relationship between cholecystectomy and the development of colorectal cancer. Several meta-analyses on this topic suggest a positive correlation [1][2][3][4][5][6]. It has been proposed that the removal of the gallbladder results in a high proportion of carcinogenic secondary bile acids being produced, in particular deoxycholic acid [7][8][9].…”

Gallstone disease is associated with rectal cancer: a meta-analysis

“…Several meta-analyses have supported an association between cholecystectomy and colorectal cancer [1][2][3][4][5][6]. As a majority of cholecystectomy is indicated by gallstone disease [91], it remains unclear whether any increased risk of colorectal cancer in cholecystectomized patients may be due to previous gallstone disease rather than the removal of the gallbladder.…”

“…Several meta-analyses have previously demonstrated an association between cholecystectomy and colorectal cancer [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Studies have also indicated that the risk may be the greatest in the proximal colon, though studies contradict this claim [42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55].…”