Weight-Loss Surgery Reduces Pancreatic Cancer Risk in Obese Patients

Understand how metabolic-bariatric surgery reduces pancreatic cancer risk in obese diabetic patients, offering a significant breakthrough in cancer prevention.

Highlights:

Obesity is a chronic condition affecting one in eight people
Obesity and type 2 diabetes increase the risk of pancreatic cancer
Metabolic-bariatric surgery is known to reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer in obese diabetic patients

Obesity is a chronic complex disease characterized by excess fat accumulation around vital organs. It affects an individual’s overall wellbeing.

With increasing population obesity has become a common health condition affecting 1 in 8 people. Its prevalence has tripled from 1975 to 2016 ().

Bariatric Surgery - Short Term and Long Term Outcomes
The benefits of bariatric surgery outweigh its side-effects. With the surgery you can lose 45 to 60% of the original weight and this has benefits on blood sugar, sleep and heart disease.

‘Did You Know?
Metabolic-Bariatric #surgery reduces the risk of #pancreatic_cancer by 54% in obese patients. #medindia’

Link Between Type 2 Diabetes, Obesity and Pancreatic Cancer

Obesity increases the risk of heart diseases, diabetes, bone diseases and fertility issues. Insulin resistance and high cholesterol are conditions that are associated with obesity which increases the risk of some cancers.
One common risk factor for type 2 diabetes is obesity. Diabetes screening is recommended for all obese individuals. Treating obesity is important in type 2 diabetes management.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, which is the third most common cause of cancer related deaths and has a low survival rate.

Effect of Bariatric Surgery on Pancreatic Cancer Risk

Metabolic-bariatric surgery (MBS) also known as weightloss surgery, can reduce the risk of obesity related cancers in high risk populations. MBS results in more sustainable weightloss for obese patients compared to standard medical treatment for obesity. It is also effective in treating type 2 diabetes and can lead to type 2 diabetes remission.

Top 15 Health Benefits of Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric or weight loss surgery is done on persons with severe obesity who are unable to lose weight by other methods or those who have obesity-related health issues.

Weightloss surgery reduces the pancreatic cancer risk by 54% in obese individuals than any other treatment. MBS is effective in treating persons with obesity and type 2 diabetes. MBS reduces the risk of pancreatic cancer by 79% in individuals with obesity and type 2 diabetes and 44% in persons with obesity without type 2 diabetes.

This study was the first to consider the presence of type 2 diabetes in determining the effects of ΜBS on pancreatic cancer risk among the obese population, with or without type 2 diabetes.

Bariatric Surgery Can Improve Lipid Profile of Patients
Weight reduction surgeries have shown significant benefits beyond weight reduction, including improvements in serum lipids.

The mechanism by which MBS reduces the risk of pancreatic cancer is unknown. The mechanisms by which pancreatic cancer develops in type 2 diabetes patients is by the activation of insulin growth factor receptors due to high insulin levels, which leads to increased pancreatic cell proliferation.

With MBS, the fasting insulin level decreases, by altering the molecular signaling, which reduces pancreatic cell proliferation. This surgery reduces the risk of pancreatic cancer in individuals with obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Bariatric Surgery or Weight Loss Surgery – Types, Complications and Results
Bariatric surgery is the most effective weight-loss therapy for the morbidly obese. Lap banding and gastric bypass are the most commonly used weight loss surgeries.

Bariatric surgery can reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer in obese patients, regardless of type 2 diabetic status. However, type 2 diabetic patients experience greater benefits from this surgery than patients without type 2 diabetes.

Reference:

Metabolic-Bariatric Surgery Reduces Pancreatic Cancer Risk: A Meta-Analysis of Over 3.7 Million Adults, Independent of Type 2 Diabetes Status - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39382004/)

Source-Medindia