Does Appendectomy Raise the Risk for Colorectal Cancer?

[Scott Adams]

This is an interesting study related to the gut microbiome and appendix removal...which I've had.

Quote

In one part of a three-part analysis, researchers observed a 73% increase in CRC risk among appendectomy cases compared with controls over a 20-year follow-up.

 https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/987358

[trents]

One of the challenging dimensions of gut dysbiosis studies is that there is isn't yet a consensus on what constitutes a healthy gut biome. I also wonder if there is a connection between appendectomies and undiagnosed celiac disease.

Edited January 25, 2023 by trents

[Scott Adams]

I could be wrong, but I wonder whether or note those in the study had also been given lots of antibiotic treatments during and after their illness and surgery? If so, could these results really be telling us that antibiotic use is causing the change in gut flora?

[trents]

Likely a combination of both as both not having and appendix and antibiotics would alter gut biome populations. Then too, many of us were regularly subjected to antibiotics as children because of tonsillitis and ear infections. Back in the 1950's, penicillin was the silver bullet for all infections and a quick go to for docs.

[Scott Adams]

When I was a teenager I was given daily "low dose" tetracycline for more than year to treat cystic acne! It definitely makes me wonder if it was a trigger.

[trents]

31 minutes ago, Scott Adams said:

When I was a teenager I was given daily "low dose" tetracycline for more than year to treat cystic acne! It definitely makes me wonder if it was a trigger.

So was I. And as a middle-aged adult I was put on extended low dose tetracycline for a stubborn sinus infection.

[MissMollyMarie]

On 1/25/2023 at 11:16 AM, Scott Adams said:

This is an interesting study related to the gut microbiome and appendix removal...which I've had.

 https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/987358

Yikes!  I had mine out last year. Scary!

[trents]

1 hour ago, MissMollyMarie said:

Yikes!  I had mine out last year. Scary!

CRC would likely produce blood in the stool at some point. Have you noticed any of that or have you had a hemoccult test done to detect such? I could be wrong but I don't think CRC produces diarrhea. More than likely it would be the opposite I would think, i.e., blockage.

Edited January 27, 2023 by trents

[MissMollyMarie]

6 hours ago, trents said:

CRC would likely produce blood in the stool at some point. Have you noticed any of that or have you had a hemoccult test done to detect such? I could be wrong but I don't think CRC produces diarrhea. More than likely it would be the opposite I would think, i.e., blockage.

I haven't had that test, but I am getting a colonoscopy soon.  Just one more thing to worry about.  Ugh!  ☹️