Bariatric surgery may decrease blood cancer risk in obese women.
Bariatric surgery may decrease blood cancer risk in obese women.
Bariatric Surgery Linked to Lower Risk of Blood Cancer in Women
Obesity is a risk factor for many cancers, with an increasing prevalence of cancers typically seen in people over 50 now being observed in younger individuals with obesity[^1^]. While diet and lifestyle interventions may not always successfully treat obesity and reduce cancer risk in the long term, bariatric surgery has been shown to be effective in reducing cancer rates in individuals with obesity[^1^].
Now, a team of researchers from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden has found evidence that bariatric surgery may also reduce the risk of blood cancer in women[^1^]. Their findings contribute to the growing understanding of the link between weight and cancer risk, and suggest that bariatric surgery could be an important tool in reducing cancer rates in individuals with obesity[^1^].
Obesity and Cancer: A Dangerous Connection
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are 13 cancers that are linked to obesity[^1^]. These obesity-related cancers account for 40% of all cancers diagnosed in the United States, with women being disproportionately affected[^1^].
Among the 13 cancers linked to obesity, breast cancer is the most common type in women after menopause[^1^]. Other cancers associated with obesity in women include uterine, ovarian, and potentially cervical cancer[^1^]. The reasons behind this gender discrepancy are not entirely understood, but researchers suggest that hormones, insulin, and inflammatory molecules called cytokines may play a role[^1^].
Unraveling the Link: How Weight Influences Cancer Risk
Excess adiposity, or body fat, increases the risk of insulin insensitivity. This means that the cells of the body become less receptive to the presence of insulin, leading to an overproduction of insulin by the body. Eventually, the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas become unable to keep up with the demand, resulting in high blood sugar levels and the development of type 2 diabetes[^1^].
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Both obesity and type 2 diabetes have been associated with an increased risk of cancer, but the underlying mechanisms are still being studied[^1^]. Dr. Magdalena Taube and her team from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden conducted a study to investigate the rate of blood cancer in individuals who had undergone bariatric surgery[^1^]. Their results, published in The Lancet, shed light on the connection between weight, insulin, and cancer risk[^1^].
Dr. Taube explained in an interview with Medical News Today that insulin and estrogen, which are regulated by each other, may be driving the development of female cancers in individuals with obesity[^1^]. These findings suggest that reducing insulin levels through bariatric surgery could decrease the risk of cancer in women with obesity[^1^].
Bariatric Surgery Reduces Blood Cancer Risk in Women
To quantify the impact of bariatric surgery on cancer rates, Dr. Taube’s team followed a group of 4,047 individuals with obesity in Sweden, half of whom had undergone bariatric surgery and half who had not[^1^]. The participants were part of the Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) intervention study, which aimed to compare the mortality rate of individuals with obesity who underwent bariatric surgery compared to those who did not[^1^].
Over a 33-year follow-up period, the researchers found that bariatric surgery reduced the incidence of blood cancer risk in women by 56%[^1^]. The decrease in risk was primarily observed for lymphomas, with a 55% reduction in risk among patients who had undergone bariatric surgery[^1^]. Interestingly, the same decrease in risk was not observed in men[^1^].
Although the specific body mass index (BMI) threshold for bariatric surgery differed for men and women, the cohort analyzed in this study had similar BMIs across both sexes[^1^]. BMI is a measure used to determine the amount of fat in a person’s body, calculated based on their weight and height[^1^].
These results align with existing research that suggests blood cancer could be considered an obesity-linked cancer[^1^]. Dr. Taube and her team believe that bariatric surgery should be considered as a potential preventive measure to reduce cancer rates in individuals with obesity, particularly given the increasing prevalence of early-onset cancers in young people[^1^].
Understanding the Mechanisms: Mutation-Driven Clonal Hematopoiesis
Although the study did not investigate the specific mechanisms linking obesity, sex, and blood cancers, the researchers proposed that a process called mutation-driven clonal hematopoiesis could be involved[^1^]. Clonal hematopoiesis occurs when natural mutations that accumulate with age affect the stem cells that produce blood cells. Some of these mutations cause certain types of stem cells to replicate more than others, resulting in a less diverse population of blood stem cells[^1^].
This phenomenon has been linked to the development of blood cancer and cardiovascular disease[^1^]. Obesity is believed to accelerate mutation-driven clonal hematopoiesis, but previous research has suggested that bariatric surgery can reduce the rate of this process[^1^].
Dr. Taube explained that her team had observed an association between clonal hematopoiesis and insulin and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the cohort analyzed over a 20-year period[^1^]. Further investigation into these associations may help uncover the specific mechanisms linking obesity, clonal hematopoiesis, and cancer risk[^1^].
Implications for Cancer Prevention and Treatment
Dr. Mir Ali, a bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center in California, highlighted the importance of the study’s findings in recognizing obesity as a significant risk factor for cancer. He agreed with the study authors that more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms underlying this relationship[^1^].
The results of this study add to the growing body of evidence supporting the use of bariatric surgery as a means to reduce cancer risk in individuals with obesity[^1^]. As the global obesity epidemic continues and early-onset cancers become more prevalent, strategies to minimize cancer risk in young individuals with obesity become paramount[^1^]. Bariatric surgery can potentially play a crucial role in these efforts to prevent cancer and improve long-term health outcomes[^1^].
