What is it about?
We have used data from the Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) study; ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT01479452 – a prospective controlled intervention study examining weight-loss surgery outcomes – to examine the impact of weight loss surgery on the long-term risk of colorectal cancer. In our study, we could not verify that weight-loss surgery leads to changes in colorectal cancer risk in patients with obesity. Our results rather indicates a possible decreased risk of rectal cancer with weight-loss surgery.
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Why is it important?
Obesity is a risk factor for several types of cancer, and intentional weight loss sometimes reduces the risk. Although weight-loss surgery is considered to reduce cancer risk in general, whether the incidence of colorectal cancer increases or decreases after this treatment is debated.
Perspectives
Despite reported positive effects of weight-loss surgery on mortality and health- including reduction of many types of cancer-, the possibility that weight-loss may be associated with colorectal cancer can affect decisions by both patients and health care professionals. Our study reporting unaltered colorectal cancer risk with surgery in a large controlled cohort with long follow-up is therefor important.
Magdalena Taube
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Long-term incidence of colorectal cancer after bariatric surgery or usual care in the Swedish Obese Subjects study, PLoS ONE, March 2021, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248550.
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