The tumors grow in the tonsils or in the tissue that remains after tonsillectomy.

FORBES: Health

Tonsillectomy rates are lower in the UK than in any other country in Europe.

BBC: UK 'doing too few tonsil operations'

Any further reduction in the rate of tonsillectomy is likely to be associated with a further worsening of this trend.

BBC: UK 'doing too few tonsil operations'

As tonsillectomy rates fall, it is predictable that hospital admissions for severe tonsillitis and its complications will rise, and this is borne out by the data available.

BBC: UK 'doing too few tonsil operations'

However, over the last 15 years the rate of tonsillectomy has continued to fall, so much so that we are now in danger of too few procedures being carried out.

BBC: UK 'doing too few tonsil operations'

Tonsillectomy - cutting out the two lumps of lymphoid tissue found at either side of the back of the throat - is an operation that was described first over 3, 000 years ago.

BBC: UK 'doing too few tonsil operations'

These include tonsillectomy, hernia and varicose vein operations.

BBC: NHS failing on day operations