Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2019 Mar;29(3):776-781.
doi: 10.1007/s11695-018-3598-9.

Overall and Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Incidences Are Decreased Following Bariatric Surgery

Taryn E Hassinger  1 , J Hunter Mehaffey  1 , Robert B Hawkins  1 , Bruce D Schirmer  1 , Peter T Hallowell  1 , Anneke T Schroen  1 , Shayna L Showalter  2
Affiliations

Overall and Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Incidences Are Decreased Following Bariatric Surgery

Taryn E Hassinger et al. Obes Surg. 2019 Mar.

Abstract

Introduction: Bariatric surgery treats morbid obesity resulting in long-lasting weight loss. Elevated body mass index (BMI) increases breast cancer risk. We hypothesized that patients undergoing bariatric surgery would have decreased overall and estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer incidences compared to a propensity-matched non-surgical cohort.

Methods: The bariatric population included all female patients who underwent weight loss surgery at a single institution from 1985 to 2015. Patients from all outpatient visits were propensity score matched 1:1 with bariatric patients using BMI, comorbidities, demographics, and insurance status. The primary outcome was breast cancer incidence. Univariate analyses compared the groups.

Results: A total of 4860 patients were included, with 2430 in both groups. Median follow-up time from date of surgery or morbid obesity diagnosis was 5.7 years. There were no differences in age or comorbidities aside from gastroesophageal reflux disease. Seventeen (0.7%) patients in the surgery group were subsequently diagnosed with breast cancer versus 32 (1.3%) in the non-surgery group (p = 0.03). The non-surgery group had more ER-positive tumors [4 (36.4%) vs. 22 (71.0%); p = 0.04].

Conclusion: Female patients who underwent bariatric surgery were less frequently diagnosed with any breast cancer and ER-positive breast cancer versus a propensity-matched cohort suggesting a possible oncologic benefit to weight loss surgery.

Keywords: Cancer risk; Morbid obesity; Weight loss surgery.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Obes Surg. 2014 Sep;24(9):1499-509 - PubMed
    1. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2008 Nov-Dec;4(6):691-5 - PubMed
    1. JAMA. 2014 Feb 26;311(8):806-14 - PubMed
    1. Lancet. 2008 Feb 16;371(9612):569-78 - PubMed
    1. Surg Endosc. 2017 Feb;31(2):538-542 - PubMed

Publication types

Substances