Abstract
Among patients who were operated on for colorectal cancer at the center, 30 patients with previous history of undergoing cholecystectomy (Group I) were compared clinicopathologically with 799 patients with a confirmed absence of gallstones (excluding those with a previous gastrectomy history) (Group II).
The male to female ratio was high in females of Group I. The average age was 66.8 in Group I and 60.1 in Group II, suggesting a higher age distribution in Group I. As for the location in the colon, the incidence of the left side of the colon was significantly higher in Group I than in Group II (p<0.05). Macroscopic findings showed a tendency for predominance of Type I in Group I, with a significant difference (p<0.05). No significant differences were recognized in the histologic findings, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis and vessel invasion. The average level of serum total cholesterol in the right side of the colon was 151.0mg/dl in Group I versus 174.8mg/dl in Group II, with a significant difference (p<0.01). The 5-year survival rates were 59.0% in Group I and 76.2% in Group II in curability A. These results suggest that colorectal cancer following cholecystectomy predominantly occurs in female and aged patients, develops commonly in the left side of the colon in a significantly high frequency, and has a poor prognosis. Serum total cholesterol levels were low in patients with previous history of cholecystectomy, but any finding suggesting a relationship between previous cholecystectomy and the subsequent development of the colorectal cancer was not identified.
