Bariatric surgery in cancer survivorship: does a history of cancer affect weight loss outcomes?

Background: Weight loss is recommended for obese cancer survivors who are at increased risk of recurrence and non cancer-related mortality. It remains unknown if this vulnerable population benefits from bariatric surgery to the same extent as those without a history of cancer. Methods: A retrospective chart review of 1013 patients identified 29 bariatric surgery patients with a history of cancer who were then matched to patients without a history of cancer. Results: At 1-year postsurgical follow-up, individuals with a history of cancer had lost less weight than those without a history of cancer (14.2 versus 14.8); however, this difference was not significant (P = .76). Conclusion: Cancer survivors appear to draw similar benefit from bariatric surgery as those without a history of cancer, although a larger study with greater statistical power to detect differences is needed to confirm these results. These preliminary results are encouraging in light of the increasing focus on weight loss among this population. (C) 2015 American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. All rights reserved.