Appendectomy and subsequent cancer risk.

Although earlier epidemiologic studies reported a positive association between appendectomy and certain cancers, interest was limited due to lack of confidence in the study findings. However, recent morphologic studies on the immune structure of the vermiform appendix in the rabbit and man argue for a reevaluation of the appendectomy--cancer association. This paper reviews briefly the morphologic and epidemiologic literature on the subject to date. The validity of the earlier epidemiologic findings is discussed and avenues for further research assessing the relationship of appendectomy to subsequent cancer risk are proposed.