Bariatric Surgery Linked to Lower All-Cancer Incidence Among Females

FRIDAY, Aug. 25, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Among females, bariatric surgery is associated with lower all-cancer and obesity-related cancer incidence, according to a study published online Aug. 22 in Obesity.

Ted D. Adams, Ph.D., M.P.H., from Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City, and colleagues conducted a retrospective study to examine the correlation of weight loss and cancer among post-bariatric surgery patients. A total of 21,837 bariatric surgery patients were matched by age, sex, and body mass index with a nonsurgical comparison group in a 1:1 ratio.

The researchers found that relative to the nonsurgery comparison group, bariatric surgery patients had a significantly lower risk for developing any cancers (hazard ratio [HR], 0.75). Cancer incidence was lower among female, but not male, bariatric surgery patients (HR, 0.67). Compared with nonsurgical female patients, female surgery patients had a reduced risk for obesity-related cancers (i.e., breast, ovarian, uterine, and colon; HR, 0.59). In female patients, cancer mortality was significantly lower after surgery (HR, 0.53).

"This research represents another important study that strongly supports the long-term benefits of weight loss surgery in the prevention of cancer," Adams said in a statement.

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