Increased risk of cancer mortality after vagotomy for peptic ulcer: a preliminary analysis

Patients (1,643) undergoing vagotomy for peptic ulcer at York District Hospital were traced through the Office of Populations Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) and cause of mortality obtained for the 577 who had died. Expected mortality for the cohort was calculated using a years at risk calculation in 5 year bands. There was an excess risk of mortality from cancer of all sites (1.5-fold), stomach (1.6-fold), colorectum (1.7-fold), biliary tract (4.1-fold) and lung (1.6-fold). There was no excess risk or mortality from cancer of the oesophagus, pancreas and female breast. The numbers of deaths have been too few and length of follow-up too short to investigate latency. The findings are consistent with the production of carcinogens as a result of the hypoacidity following vagotomy.