Appendix Removal Linked to Lower Colorectal Cancer Risk: Study
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir)
(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 3rd Oct, 2026)
WASHINGTON, 3rd October, 2026 (WAM) –
Patients who underwent surgery to remove an inflamed appendix were 58 percent less likely to develop colorectal cancer later than those treated with antibiotics alone, according to a study of over 30,000 patients.
The research, presented at an American College of Surgeons conference, found a significantly lower colorectal cancer diagnosis rate among surgical patients (0.7 percent) compared to those treated with antibiotics (1.7 percent).
Dr. Valentine Nfonsam, who led the study, highlighted the appendix's role in the gut's immune system and microbiome. However, he cautioned against interpreting the findings as a call for all appendicitis patients to undergo surgery as a cancer prevention measure. Antibiotics remain a vital treatment option, he emphasized, while further research is needed to explore the connection between appendicitis, microbiome shifts, and cancer risk.
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