Cancer prevention: bariatrics
Bariatric surgery reduces cancer risks by up to 52%
Svetlana Maslova, Hi-tech+
The study, which covered almost 100 thousand people, showed that this method of combating obesity is effective for the prevention of all types of cancer, but some especially. Scientists have long known that overweight is an important risk factor for the development of a malignant tumor, but until now they have not looked at the situation from the other side – whether the fight against excess weight can really reduce the likelihood of cancer. It turned out – maybe very significantly.
According to the World Health Organization, about 1.9 billion people are obese or overweight. It is known that these problems can provoke metabolic disorders, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, problems with the musculoskeletal system, and also contribute to the development of cancer. Researchers from Rutgers University decided to find out how the fight against overweight will affect the likelihood of developing cancer in the long term.
The team analyzed data from more than 98 thousand people aged 18 to 64 years who suffered from severe obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) at various stages, including cirrhosis of the liver. The patients' medical history was studied in the period from 2007 to 2017. 34% of patients from this cohort underwent bariatric surgery to cope with obesity.
Article by Rustgi et al. Bariatric Surgery Reduces Cancer Risk in Adults with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Severe Obesity accepted for publication in the journal Gastroenterology – VM.
Scientists have found a reduction in the risks of all types of cancer by 18%, and for obesity-related tumors by 25%. These include colorectal cancer, pancreatic, thyroid and endometrial cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma and multiple myeloma.
When scientists compared the data among patients with and without cirrhosis of the liver, the risks of cancer decreased by 38% and 52%, respectively.
"Although bariatric surgery is considered a more aggressive approach for prevention compared to lifestyle changes, it may provide additional benefits for improving quality of life and long–term health care costs," the study concludes.
Now the team intends to evaluate similar benefits among obese people who do not suffer from NAFLD. They also plan to study the mechanisms that lead to a reduction in cancer risks. For example, what role does a change in the hormonal background due to weight loss play to prevent the development of a tumor.
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