The frequency of tonsillectomy and appendectomy in cancer patients

Abstract

The relationship of the appendectomy and tonsillectomy between 500 persons suffering from various malignant tumors and 500 normal controls was studied. 25.6% of the normal controls had had their appendix removed, in contrast to 16.2% of the cancer patients. However, patients with various forms of cancer showed an increased frequency of appendectomies. A tonsillectomy was done in 9% of the normal controls and 2.2% of the cancer patients. It is concluded that tonsillectomy, and to a lesser degree appendectomy, was less frequent among cancer patients than among normal controls. In patients with cancer of the breast and ovaries the incidence of appendectomy was found to be very high. Copyright © 1973 American Cancer Society