THURSDAY June 19, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- Bariatric
surgery not only removes excess weight in obese people, but also helps many of them
to reduce their risk of developing cancer, according to researchers from the
McGill University.
Bariatric surgery may get rid of up to 70 percent of excess
weight from morbidly obese patients and help them maintain weight loss.
Dr. Nicolas Christou from the university and colleagues
found those who underwent bariatric surgery were up to 80 percent less likely to
develop cancer.
The finding was reported yesterday at the 25th Annual Meeting
of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery.
Bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery, refers to
the various surgical procedures performed to treat obesity by modification of the gastrointestinal tract to reduce nutrient intake and/or absorption, according to wikipedia.
The researchers compared 1,035 morbidly obese patients who
received bariatric surgery at the MU Health Centre between 1986 and 2002 with
5,746 patients who had similar conditions, but were untreated.
They found the risks of breast cancer and colon/pancreatic
cancer among the treated were 85% and 70 percent lower, respectively. The rates
of several other cancers were also significantly lower.
"The relationship between obesity and many forms of
cancer is well established," said Dr. Christou. "This is one of the
first studies to suggest that bariatric surgery might prevent the risk of
cancer for a significant percentage of morbidly obese people."
The researchers said obesity raises the risk of cancer by
for instance raising hormone production, which is a risk factor for breast and
colon cancer.
Surgery modified the
patient hormonal metabolism due to weight loss.
"Bariatric surgery is an extremely efficient tool in
the treatment of morbid obesity and its consequences, and the MUHC is one of Canada's
leaders in this field." Dr. Christou said.
"We're hoping that these results will help the
government and public health authorities realize the importance of this
procedure in the fight against the various pathologies associated with
obesity."
A health observer affiliated with foodconsumer.org suggested
that obesity may be a contributor to the increased risk of cancer in the obese
people, but people should not wait to have the surgery.
Those who want to avoid becoming morbidly obese, he said, should
seriously consider using a healthy diet and following a healthy lifestyle.
A study just released recently showed eating
big breakfast full of carbohydrates can help lose weight and maintain weight
loss.
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