Study Finds Lower Risk for Hematologic Cancer in Woman After Bariatric Surgery

A recent study published in Lancet Healthy Longevity suggests that bariatric surgery, a weight loss procedure, is linked to a lower risk of blood cancer, particularly in women. The research, involving over 2,000 individuals who underwent surgery and a similar group who did not, revealed a significant reduction in the incidence and mortality of blood cancers among those who had bariatric surgery. Notably, the benefit was more pronounced in women, especially those with high blood sugar levels at the beginning of the study.

Dr. Magdalena Taube, one of the researchers, emphasized the connection between the surgery’s benefits and baseline blood glucose levels, stating, “The reduced risk of hematological cancer was much more pronounced if the women’s blood sugar levels were high at the beginning, which clearly shows that blood sugar is an important factor in cancer development.”

The study found that participants who had bariatric surgery experienced a 55% lower risk of lymphomas, a type of blood cancer. Interestingly, the positive effects of the surgery on reducing the incidence of hematologic cancer were observed in women but not in men.