Can Cancer Risk Be Melted Away Along with Excess Body Fat?

Women who underwent bariatric surgery had substantially lower risk for cancer.

In addition to its adverse metabolic and cardiovascular effects, obesity is associated with excess risk for cancer. In a prospective study, investigators in Sweden followed 2010 obese patients (1420 of whom were women; BMI ≥38 kg/m²) who underwent bariatric surgery and 2037 obese controls (1447 of whom were women) who received standard care and who were matched with surgical patients for factors such as age, weight, and smoking status. Surgery resulted in sustained mean weight loss of 20 kg; effects on overall incidence of fatal and nonfatal cancer (based on Swedish National Cancer Registry data) were evaluated in >99% of participants during a median follow-up of 11 years.

Overall, patients who underwent bariatric surgery had a lower risk fo…

Reviewing Author

Anna Wald, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAicuris; Bayer; GSK; Innovative Molecules; Merck; MAPP Biopharmaceutical (Safety Monitoring Committee)

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Grant/Research SupportNIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; GSK; Moderna; Assembly Biomedical; Aicuris

Editorial BoardsSexually Transmitted Diseases; Sexually Transmitted Infections; Journal of Infectious Diseases

Leadership PositionsID Division Chiefs Community of Practice (At-Large Member)