Background: It has been suggested that there is an increased risk of colorectal cancer after
cholecystectomy due to increased levels of secondary bile acids. Some studies suggest the
risk is higher for women and for the development of right-sided tumours. Methods: A review
of the literature yielded 95 relevant studies, of which 35 were suitable for a meta-analysis
involving age-and sex-matched controls. Results: The pooled odds ratio for a positive
association between cholecystectomy and colorectal cancer was 1.11 (95% confidence …

The number of patients subjected to cholecystectomy has increased since the introduction of
laparoscopic methods. Therefore, the question of an association between colorectal cancer
(CR-Ca) and cholecystectomy (CHE) is again topical. Several studies have been performed
investigating the possibility of a link between cholecystectomy and large bowel cancer. The
findings recorded in these studies have been varied and in some cases contradictory. In
meta-analyses of the different types of studies (prospective and retrospective) the main …