Increased risk of liver cancer after gallbladder removal
Author Information
Author(s): J Lagergren, F Mattsson, H El-Serag, H Nordenstedt
Primary Institution: Karolinska Institutet
Hypothesis
Is surgical removal of the gall bladder (cholecystectomy) for gallstone disease associated with an increased risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma?
Conclusion
Cholecystectomy might be associated with a long-term increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Supporting Evidence
- 333 new cases of hepatocellular carcinoma were identified during the follow-up.
- The overall increased risk was found to be SIR 1.24.
- The risk increased with longer follow-up time.
- Among patients who had cholecystectomy 30–43 years earlier, the SIR was 2.00.
Takeaway
If you have your gallbladder removed, you might have a higher chance of getting liver cancer later on.
Methodology
A nationwide Swedish population-based cohort study from 1965 to 2008 included patients undergoing cholecystectomy and followed them for cancer diagnosis.
Potential Biases
Potential confounding by age, sex, and calendar year was adjusted for, but some bias may still exist.
Limitations
Some level of residual confounding from unrecorded risk factors cannot be excluded.
Participant Demographics
The mean age at cholecystectomy was 52 years, with 67% of patients being women.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.003
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 1.11–1.38
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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