The Association Between Cholecystectomy and Colorectal Cancer in the Female Gender

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) has been of great interest among researchers, and multiple causes have been proposed and accepted; however, cholecystectomy (CMY) as a potential cause for CRC, particularly in the female gender has not been studied in detail, despite multiple evidence suggesting a positive association. This review is directed at investigating the association between CMY and CRC in the female gender and aims at finding a potential cause for this association. CRC involves cancer of the sigmoid and rectum. The composition of the bile acids is altered in patients after CMY, and the resultant secondary bile acids (BA) without a functioning gall bladder are exposed directly to the intestines, which could lead to cancer. An increase in fecal secondary bile acids is also described as high in the CMY population and has been linked to cancer. Right-sided GI cancers were attributed to CMY, although many earlier studies did not find this to be true. It is interesting to note a strong association between CRC and CMY in the female western population.