Cancer Risk reduces after Bariatric Surgery✨

This extremely intriguing research by Aminian and coworkers, which recently appeared in JAMA, addresses the decrease in cancer risk.* The authors of this study analyzed data from patients who underwent bariatric surgery between 2004 and 2017. Thirty thousand patients made up a sizable portion of the patient population.

Of these people, one in five had undergone bariatric surgery. The remaining patients in this case-control research had similar BMIs and were monitored without bariatric surgery. This study focused on 13 various cancer kinds and the likelihood of getting certain cancer types that are known to be linked to being overweight.

The authors of this study analyzed data from patients who underwent bariatric surgery between 2004 and 2017. Thirty thousand patients made up a sizable portion of the patient population. Of these people, one in five had undergone bariatric surgery. The remaining patients in this case-control research had similar BMIs and were monitored without bariatric surgery. This study focused on 13 various cancer kinds and the likelihood of getting specific cancer types that are known to be linked to being overweight.

The risk of cancer at ten years was the main finding and the concern being answered in this case-control study of surgery vs. no surgery. 2.9% of people who received bariatric surgery had an obesity-related malignancy, compared to 4.9% of people who underwent nonsurgical treatment.

The second part of the essay looks at the 10-year cancer mortality rate and cancer incidence.

Those who had undergone bariatric surgery had a 0.8% chance of dying from cancer, compared to a 1.4% chance for those with similarly high BMIs but who had not undergone surgery. Of course, the surgery itself, the psychological effects, and what it causes to people are all risks associated with bariatric surgery. The potential advantage, in this case, a reduced risk of cancer, is undeniably present, though.

Clearly, there has to be a discussion about the potential role that population-based measures to lower cancer risk should provide bariatric surgery in the future. In order to effect and prevent cancer in the future, our society must take into account the apparent evidence of a decrease in cancer risk.

*Aminian A, Wilson R, Al-Kurd A, et al. Association of Bariatric Surgery With Cancer Risk and Mortality in Adults With Obesity. JAMA. 2022;327(24):2423–2433. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.9009