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Incidence of Cancer Following Bariatric Surgery: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

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Abstract

Obesity is linked to the development of cancer. Previous studies have suggested that there is a relationship between bariatric surgery and reduced cancer risk. Data sources were from Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library. From 951 references, 13 studies met the inclusion criteria (54,257 participants). In controlled studies, bariatric surgery was associated with a reduction in the risk of cancer. The cancer incidence density rate was 1.06 cases per 1000 person-years within the surgery groups. In the meta-regression, we found an inverse relationship between the presurgical body mass index and cancer incidence after surgery (beta coefficient −0.2, P < 0.05). Bariatric surgery is associated with reduced cancer risk in morbidly obese people. However, considering the heterogeneity among the studies, conclusions should be drawn with care.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a grant from The Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES). We thank Dr. Lars Sjostrom, who provided complementary data from his study. We also thank Dr. Rodrigo Ribeiro, who helped with our statistical analyses.

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no potential conflicts of interest, including specific financial interests or relationships and affiliations relevant to the subject matter or materials disclosed in the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Postgraduate Program in Medical Sciences: Endocrinology and Metabolism, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2350, prédio 12, 4° andar, 90035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Daniela Schaan Casagrande, Roberta Aguiar Sarmento & Beatriz D. Schaan

  2. Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome Center of Hospital São Lucas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (COM HSL-PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Daniela Schaan Casagrande

  3. Oncology Unit, Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Daniela Dornelles Rosa

  4. Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences: Cardiovascular Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Daniel Umpierre & Beatriz D. Schaan

  5. Fundação Universitária de Cardiologia, Instituto de Cardiologia do Rio Grande do Sul (IC-FUC), Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Clarissa Garcia Rodrigues

  6. Duke Global Health Institute (DGHI), Duke University, Durham, NC, USA

    Clarissa Garcia Rodrigues

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  1. Daniela Schaan Casagrande
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  2. Daniela Dornelles Rosa
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Correspondence to Beatriz D. Schaan.

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Casagrande, D.S., Rosa, D.D., Umpierre, D. et al. Incidence of Cancer Following Bariatric Surgery: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. OBES SURG 24, 1499–1509 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-014-1276-0

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