Obese individuals who undergo bariatric surgery substantially slash their risk of certain obesity-related cancers, according to a new study presented at the 25th annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery in Washington, D.C.
Calling this a "very exciting finding," lead researcher Nicolas Christou, MD, PhD, Director of Bariatric Surgery and Professor of Surgery at McGill University in Montreal, said that "hopefully subsequent studies will shed more light on this subject."
Being overweight or obese raises the risk of several types of cancer including breast, colon, esophageal and kidney, accoeding to the American Cancer Society. Every year 500,000 Americans dieof cancer, and one-third of these deaths are linked to diet, lack of physical activity and being overweight, the group states. Soem cancers, such as lung cancer and mesothelioma, are unrelated to these factors.
Exactly how weight loss surgery reduces cancer risks is not fully understood, Christou says. "A lot of cancer risk is genetic, and we don't alter a person's genetics," he says. "Is it hormonal? We don't know."
Perhaps, he speculates, "it is the inability to eat a 16-ounce perterhouse steak that is barbecued with carcinogens," he says. Many cancer-causing chemicals or carcinogens are created during cooking. Consuming large amounts of red meat has also been linked to certain cancers. Weight loss surgery patients are unable to eat large volumes of food, due to the decreased size of their stomach following surgery.
In the studay, bariatric surgery patients were 78 percent less likely to develop any cancer, when compared with their equally overweight counterparts who did not undergo weight loss surgery. Bariatric surgery patients had an 83 percent reduction in their risk for developing breast cancer and a 68 percent reduction in risk of developing colorectal cancer, when compared with their counterparts who did not have surgery.
Reductions were also seen in risk for other, more rare cancers such as pancreatic cancer, endometrial cancer, kidney cancer, myeloma, melanoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma among thse particpants who underwent weight loss surgery; however, these reductions were not statistically significant, Christou said.
The Canadian Bariatric Cohurt Study compared 1,035 bariatric surgery patients with 5,746 controls who were matched for body mass index and did not undergo surgery to lose weight. They were tracked for a maximum of five years. None of the study participants had a history of cancer. During the study period, two percent of people in the surgery group were diagnosed with cancer, compared with 8.5 percent of participants who did not have bariatric surgery.
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 2008 - by Denise Mann
Jan 25, 2010
Jan 18, 2010
Best to lose some weight before weight-loss surgery
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Having weight-loss surgery? Shedding a few pounds before the surgery might reduce your risk of having surgical complications, a new study hints.
A look back at the medical records of 881 patients who had weight-loss surgery found that the more weight patients lost before surgery, the less likely they were to suffer post-op complications, such as infections, blood clots, and kidney problems.
Preoperative weight changes varied among the 881 patients, ranging from modest weight gain to weight loss of more than 10 percent of excess body weight.
The post-surgery complication rate was nearly twofold higher in patients who gained weight before surgery relative to those who lost weight before surgery, Dr. Peter N. Benotti of the Saint Francis Medical Center in Trenton, New Jersey and colleagues report in the Archives of Surgery.
All of the patients had undergone open or "keyhole" Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. With this procedure, staples are used to create a pouch in the stomach that can hold only a small amount of food at a time; then, a portion of the small intestine is attached to the pouch so that food bypasses the rest of the stomach and part of the small intestine.
Patients who had the more-invasive open surgery were at increased risk of post-op complications, regardless of whether they gained or lost weight before the surgery, the researchers found.
The popularity of weight-loss surgery has increased in recent years and so too have the numbers of patients seeking surgery who are older and sicker, the researchers note.
As more of these high-risk patients seek out surgical weight-loss options, doctors are facing a need to identify risk factors and help prepare patients for successful surgery. The current study, the researchers say, suggests that pre-surgery weight loss may be one step that will help those having weight-loss surgery to achieve a more favorable outcome.
Some surgeons who perform weight-loss surgery mandate that certain high-risk patients lose some weight before having the surgery, Benotti and colleagues note. However, others believe that mandated pre-surgery weight loss "may be a deterrent to surgery." In addition, the long term effect of shedding a few pounds before weight-loss surgery is also unclear.
In a telephone interview with Reuters Health, Benotti said patients need to know that weight-loss surgery "is not a definitive treatment." A healthy diet, lifestyle change, and behavior modification are essential for maintaining weight loss after surgery, the researcher said.
"Surgery is a carrot; it provides motivation for people knowing they will have help," Benotti said.
SOURCE: Archives of Surgery, December 2009.
A look back at the medical records of 881 patients who had weight-loss surgery found that the more weight patients lost before surgery, the less likely they were to suffer post-op complications, such as infections, blood clots, and kidney problems.
Preoperative weight changes varied among the 881 patients, ranging from modest weight gain to weight loss of more than 10 percent of excess body weight.
The post-surgery complication rate was nearly twofold higher in patients who gained weight before surgery relative to those who lost weight before surgery, Dr. Peter N. Benotti of the Saint Francis Medical Center in Trenton, New Jersey and colleagues report in the Archives of Surgery.
All of the patients had undergone open or "keyhole" Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. With this procedure, staples are used to create a pouch in the stomach that can hold only a small amount of food at a time; then, a portion of the small intestine is attached to the pouch so that food bypasses the rest of the stomach and part of the small intestine.
Patients who had the more-invasive open surgery were at increased risk of post-op complications, regardless of whether they gained or lost weight before the surgery, the researchers found.
The popularity of weight-loss surgery has increased in recent years and so too have the numbers of patients seeking surgery who are older and sicker, the researchers note.
As more of these high-risk patients seek out surgical weight-loss options, doctors are facing a need to identify risk factors and help prepare patients for successful surgery. The current study, the researchers say, suggests that pre-surgery weight loss may be one step that will help those having weight-loss surgery to achieve a more favorable outcome.
Some surgeons who perform weight-loss surgery mandate that certain high-risk patients lose some weight before having the surgery, Benotti and colleagues note. However, others believe that mandated pre-surgery weight loss "may be a deterrent to surgery." In addition, the long term effect of shedding a few pounds before weight-loss surgery is also unclear.
In a telephone interview with Reuters Health, Benotti said patients need to know that weight-loss surgery "is not a definitive treatment." A healthy diet, lifestyle change, and behavior modification are essential for maintaining weight loss after surgery, the researcher said.
"Surgery is a carrot; it provides motivation for people knowing they will have help," Benotti said.
SOURCE: Archives of Surgery, December 2009.
Why Lose Weight BEFORE Weight Loss Surgery?
Research has proven that patients that lose weight (even a little) prior to any weight-loss surgical procedure will have a higher probability of attaining their weight management goals. We urge our patients to be conscience of their pre-operative weight to ensure greater success through this life-changing journey. Losing weight prior to surgery is great and encouraged.
Our practice recommends OPTIFAST to patients interested in Bariatric Surgery for a few reasons:
Shakes/Powder:
Call Us - BayChoice Bariatrics at 281-482-5300 and Order Today!
Our practice recommends OPTIFAST to patients interested in Bariatric Surgery for a few reasons:
- Weight loss is a process and not something that just happens overnight because you had a procedure. That said, choosing OPTIFAST and implementing this meal replacement program helps patients to change their mental "mindset" about food and nourishment. The program mentally re-programs how a patient thinks about food and assists them in transforming how they relate to food.
- OPTIFAST promotes weight loss. Did you know? When you lose weight, your liver will actually decrease in size depending on the amount of pounds shed. A smaller liver makes the whole procedure less risky for the patient.
- OPTIFAST has a proven track record for success ranging back to the 1970's. Many people seeking weight management have reached their goals by implementing a structured program directly recommended by our professional healthcare team led by Dr. Ken Hollis.
- Our patients understand that losing weight prior to surgery is important, but they also do not want to have to carry around tubs of powder to make shakes, etc. We understand... that's a hassle! OPTIFAST is very portable and you can carry your entire day's supply with you.
Shakes/Powder:
- Chocolate
- Vanilla
- Strawberry
- Chicken Soup
- Tomato Soup
- Chocolate
- Peanut Butter Chocolate
- Berry Yogurt
Call Us - BayChoice Bariatrics at 281-482-5300 and Order Today!
Jan 8, 2010
Obesity Poses as Great a Threat as Smoking
NEW YORK (United Press International, 2010)
Obesity has become an equal, if not greater, contributor to illness and a shortened life as smoking, U.S. researchers found.
Haomiao Jia and Dr. Erica I. Lubetkin of Columbia University and The City College of New York calculated that the quality adjusted life years lost due to obesity is now equal to, if not greater than, those lost due to smoking.
The researchers used data from the 1993-2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, which conducted interviews of more than 3.5 million individuals with annual interviews starting with 102,263 in 1993 and ending with 406,749 in 2008.
From 1993-2008, the proportion of smokers among U.S. adults declined 18.5 percent and smoking-related, quality adjusted life years lost were relatively stable at 0.0438 quality adjusted life years lost per population.
During this same period, the proportion of obese people increased 85 percent and this resulted in 0.0464 quality adjusted life years lost. Smoking had a bigger impact on deaths while obesity had a bigger impact on illness, the study found.
The study is to be published in the February issue of the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.
Obesity has become an equal, if not greater, contributor to illness and a shortened life as smoking, U.S. researchers found.
Haomiao Jia and Dr. Erica I. Lubetkin of Columbia University and The City College of New York calculated that the quality adjusted life years lost due to obesity is now equal to, if not greater than, those lost due to smoking.
The researchers used data from the 1993-2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, which conducted interviews of more than 3.5 million individuals with annual interviews starting with 102,263 in 1993 and ending with 406,749 in 2008.
From 1993-2008, the proportion of smokers among U.S. adults declined 18.5 percent and smoking-related, quality adjusted life years lost were relatively stable at 0.0438 quality adjusted life years lost per population.
During this same period, the proportion of obese people increased 85 percent and this resulted in 0.0464 quality adjusted life years lost. Smoking had a bigger impact on deaths while obesity had a bigger impact on illness, the study found.
The study is to be published in the February issue of the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.
Jan 6, 2010
Dr. Ken Hollis
Dr. Hollis has practiced laparoscopic surgery for nearly 20 years, beginning in 1989 as one of the early surgeons in the U.S. performing minimally invasive procedures. He is the Medical Director for Memorial Hermann Southeast specializing in LapBand and Bariatric surgeries.
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