Obesity is more than a weight problem…

It can cause a lot of damage to other areas of health, including increased risks for heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and more than a dozen types of cancer.

The worst part is the older you get, the easier it is to gain weight and the harder it is to lose it. A friend of mine tried absolutely everything to lose weight to no avail. But the one thing that finally worked for her was metabolic-bariatric surgery.

This type of surgery makes changes to the digestive system that result in weight loss. And lose weight she did — to the tune of 100 pounds. But that’s not the only benefit she received…

Her blood pressure and cholesterol came down and her prediabetes resolved itself. In fact, studies have shown that weight-loss surgery can lower the risk of death and major heart complications more effectively than weight loss through more conventional means. It also can result in better blood sugar control.

Surgery may not be for everyone. But for those who opt for it, researchers have discovered another big benefit to weight-loss surgery — protection against one of the most lethal cancers…

Weight-loss surgery and pancreatic cancer

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are risk factors for various forms of cancer, including pancreatic cancer. Because pancreatic cancer is so hard to diagnose, it’s often not caught until it has advanced to the point where chances of survival are slim.

A team of international researchers examined 12 studies that explored the effects of metabolic-bariatric surgery on pancreatic cancer rates, with a total of 3,711,243 adults with obesity.

Their findings were astounding…

Surgery was linked with a 44 percent reduction in pancreatic cancer risk among obese individuals without type 2 diabetes. And in those with both obesity and type 2 diabetes, risk was reduced by a whopping 79 percent.

“Metabolic-bariatric surgery not only has beneficial effects on obesity and type 2 diabetes but also may play a crucial role in reducing the risk of pancreatic cancer in these individuals,” says corresponding author Dr. Angeliki M. Angelidi of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

“These findings underscore the need for further research to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and understand the full spectrum of health benefits of metabolic-bariatric surgery beyond weight loss.”

Types of weight-loss surgery and what’s involved

If you think you may want to undergo metabolic-bariatric surgery, you’ll want to talk with your doctor first. You’ll have to be evaluated to see if you qualify as a candidate for surgery.

There are several different types of weight-loss surgery, and the type you get will depend on a number of factors. The main types of surgery performed in the U.S. are:

• Gastric sleeve, in which a majority of the stomach is removed.
• Gastric bypass, in which the stomach is stapled, leaving a small pouch, and that pouch is attached directly to the lower part of the small intestine.
• Adjustable gastric band, in which a surgeon places a ring with an inflatable band around the top of the stomach to create a small pouch. This surgery has become less common because of its complication rate.

The main goal of all three surgeries is to make you feel full after eating only a small amount of food so that you don’t consume as many calories and thus lose weight.

Weight-loss surgery isn’t without risk. Initial side effects can include bleeding, infection, diarrhea, blood clots in the legs and leaking from the site where the sections of the stomach, small intestine or both are stapled or sewn together. Rarely, surgery-related problems can lead to death.

A previous study published in the journal Obesity Science & Practice found that several factors including vitamin D status have a definite impact on bariatric surgery outcomes.

There are other potential complications over the long term. You often have to take prescribed vitamins and minerals to ensure your body is getting enough nutrients, and sometimes these nutrients can be poorly absorbed. This can lead to health problems like anemia and osteoporosis. Also, gallstones can occur after rapid weight loss, so some doctors prescribe medication to prevent this.

Sources:

Can weight-loss surgery help prevent pancreatic cancer in people with obesity? — EurekAlert!

Metabolic–Bariatric Surgery Reduces Pancreatic Cancer Risk: A Meta-Analysis of Over 3.7 Million Adults, Independent of Type 2 Diabetes Status — Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews

Weight-loss (Metabolic & Bariatric) Surgery — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Weight-loss Surgery Side Effects — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Types of Weight-loss Surgery — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases