Nezam El-Tayebat Fact CheckA scientific assessment of the “نظام الطيبات” nutrition system
Choose country

Potentially true Certainty of evidence: low provisional C-ORG-06

Cholecystectomy causes a persistent long-term excess of proximal small-bowel adenocarcinoma and right-sided colon cancer (Lagergren 2001).

Conclusion: Possible small long-term risk; not proven to be caused by surgery.
  1. Original statement
  2. Scientific assessment
  3. In plain language
  4. Studies on this claim
  5. Regional context
  6. What applies in my country?
  7. References

Original statement

ولاجرجرن (Gastroenterology 2001) رصد زيادة طويلة الأمد في السرطان الغدي للأمعاء بعد استئصال المرارة.

verbatim according to source. Translation by the project; the Arabic wording is authoritative.

Translation

Cholecystectomy causes a persistent long-term excess of proximal small-bowel adenocarcinoma and right-sided colon cancer (Lagergren 2001).

Origin

Source status
Archive editors
Attribution
Archive editors (eltayebat.com); not necessarily Elawady's own words
Origin
https://eltayebat.com/rule/unnecessary-organ-removal/
Attribution uncertainty
Editorial summary/narrative and study selection written by the archive operators; the archive states that the cited research documents harm independently of Dr. Diaa's words.
Claimed mechanism

Changed intestinal bile exposure.

Claimed health effect

Intestinal cancer.

Population concerned

Cholecystectomized patients

Geographic restriction by Elawady

not applicable

Scientific assessment

Potentially true – Some evidence points in favour of the statement, but it is not sufficient for a clear judgement.

Certainty of evidence: low – Further research is likely to change the assessment considerably.

1. What was claimed?

Persistent excess intestinal cancer after cholecystectomy.

2. What is demonstrably correct?

SIR 1.77 for small-bowel adenocarcinoma and 1.16 for right colon cancer, persisting up to 33 years, with a gradient by distance from the bile duct (A-ORG-06).

3. What is wrong or exaggerated?

The relative risks concern rare cancers; absolute excess is small. Comparison with the general population cannot separate the effect of surgery from that of gallstone disease and shared risk factors.

4. What remains unclear?

Causality; size of absolute risk.

5. Which studies support it?

A-ORG-06.

6. Which studies contradict it?

None directly.

7. What applies to Germany and Europe?

Most cited cohorts are Scandinavian (Denmark, Sweden) and directly European; RCTs from the UK and Finland are directly transferable. Guidelines in Europe also emphasize defined indications (not verified here in detail).

8. What is known about Egypt?

No Egypt-specific data on rates or outcomes of tonsillectomy, cholecystectomy, hysterectomy, splenectomy or thyroid surgery were identified in this review.

9. What practical conclusion is appropriate?

A small possible long-term risk; relevant to borderline indications, not a reason to avoid indicated cholecystectomy.

Assessment details

Rationale for certainty of evidence

Large cohort with a gradient, but SIR comparison with general population; confounding by gallstone disease; absolute risk of these rare cancers small.

Source quality

Correctly reported; absolute risk and confounding not mentioned.

Regional transferability

Swedish data.

Individual exceptions

n/a

Regional scope of the claim
general (biological/medical)
Last reviewed
25 October 2026 provisional

In plain language

A Swedish study found that after gallbladder removal, rare small-bowel cancers were about 1.8 times as frequent and right-sided colon cancer about 1.16 times as frequent as in the general population. These are relative numbers for uncommon cancers, so the extra risk for an individual is small. It is also possible that gallstone disease itself, not the operation, explains part of it.

Studies on this claim

Studies supporting the claim (1)

  • Gallbladder removal and bowel cancer

    Lagergren J et al.. Gastroenterology 2001 · PMID 11522737 · DOI 10.1053/gast.2001.27083
    Cohort studycited by the Tayebat archiveabstract only checked★ key study

    After gallbladder removal, rare small-bowel cancers were about 1.8 times as frequent and right-sided colon cancer 1.16 times as frequent as in the population.

    Cholecystectomy causes a persistent long-term excess of proximal small-bowel adenocarcinoma and right-sided colon cancer (Lagergren 2001).

    Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: low · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim

    Original publication · Scientific details

    Study explained simply
    What did the researchers want to find out?

    Cancer risk

    How was the study done?

    Register

    How many people, animals or samples were studied?

    278,460

    What was actually found?

    Higher proximal bowel cancer

    How large was the observed effect?

    SIR 1.77/1.16

    What do the results mean in everyday life?

    Small extra risk of rare cancers

    What are the study's limitations?

    No confounder control

    What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?

    Partly supports

    Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?

    European

    What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?

    Causation; absolute size

    Scientific details →

Studies contradicting or limiting the claim (0)

No studies in this group.

Studies with mixed or unclear results (1)

  • Editorial: gallbladder removal and fatty liver

    Nervi F et al.. Am J Gastroenterol 2013 · PMID 23735917 · DOI 10.1038/ajg.2013.84
    Othercited by the Tayebat archiveabstract only checked

    A US survey found fatty liver more often in people without a gallbladder; cause unclear.

    Cholecystectomy causes a persistent long-term excess of proximal small-bowel adenocarcinoma and right-sided colon cancer (Lagergren 2001).

    Does the study support the specific claim? Unclear · Methodological quality: very low · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim

    Original publication · Scientific details

    Study explained simply
    What did the researchers want to find out?

    Hypothesis

    How was the study done?

    Editorial

    How many people, animals or samples were studied?

    n/a

    What was actually found?

    Association

    How large was the observed effect?

    OR 2.4

    What do the results mean in everyday life?

    Possible link

    What are the study's limitations?

    Cross-sectional

    What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?

    Weak

    Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?

    Uncertain

    What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?

    Causation

    Scientific details →

Regional context

Germany / EU

Most cited cohorts are Scandinavian (Denmark, Sweden) and directly European; RCTs from the UK and Finland are directly transferable. Guidelines in Europe also emphasize defined indications (not verified here in detail).

Egypt

No Egypt-specific data on rates or outcomes of tonsillectomy, cholecystectomy, hysterectomy, splenectomy or thyroid surgery were identified in this review.

What applies in my country?

General scientific assessment

Potentially true Possible small long-term risk; not proven to be caused by surgery.

This statement concerns biological or medical relationships. The scientific assessment above applies regardless of the country; country-specific food data do not change it.

References

  1. Intestinal cancer after cholecystectomy: is bile involved in carcinogenesis?. Lagergren J et al.. Gastroenterology 2001 · PMID 11522737 · DOI 10.1053/gast.2001.27083
  2. Cholecystectomy and NAFLD: does gallbladder removal have metabolic consequences?. Nervi F et al.. Am J Gastroenterol 2013 · PMID 23735917 · DOI 10.1038/ajg.2013.84

← Back to overview