title: Does a decrease of NK cells in the appendix increase the risk of developing colon cancer?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Epidemiological studies indicate that relevance between appendix and colon cancer is controversial, but unfortunately, there is no data based on examination of immune indicator to reveal the relativity.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study explored the relation-ship between appendix immunity and the right colon cancer by detecting the presence of NK cells in appendix tissues with immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of NK cells in the appendix tissue was the highest in patients with appendix inflammation (37.2+1.1), while lowest in patients with colon cancer and normal appendix (30.9+1.7).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The decrease of NK cells in the appendix tissue is correlated with the increased incidence of right colon cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The Fifth People's Hospital of Shanghai Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai, China. yuankun@medmail.com.cn
authors.forename: Cai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yuan-Kun
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tao
mesh_terms: D001064:Appendicitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D001065:Appendix / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D015536:Down-Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015994:Incidence; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors