Does Obesity Cause Cancer?

Obesity, that is, excess fat storage at the disease level, is not only a problem for people living in developed countries, but also a major and important health problem on a global scale. The World Health Organization defines it as an epidemic.

Cancer risks include:

 -   Cigarette

 - Alcohol consumption

 - Overweight (OBESITY) (responsible for 10-15% of all cancers)

 - Physical inactivity

 - Infections

 - Intense exposure to sun-radiation

 - Family history of tumors

 - Nutritional differences

 - Environmental factors

 - Some long-term drug treatments

It is possible to lose weight significantly in well-selected and prepared patients with bariatric surgery performed in experienced hands, and it has been proven that these surgeries provide improvement in obesity-related comorbidities, a decrease in problems related to these diseases and even a decrease in the risk of death. In addition to its own mechanical improvements in the effectiveness of bariatric surgery, there are also positive changes in some biological mechanisms.

At the same time, it is accepted that there is a decrease of approximately 30-50% in the risk of developing cancer. With volume-limiting bariatric surgery, three different advantages are offered to patients. First; With this volume restriction, patients cannot eat much even if they want to. Secondly, they do not want to eat too much anyway. Thirdly; A feeling of being full quickly develops while eating more. Considering that Ghrelin, the appetite hormone, is released from these parts of the stomach that have been removed, the reason for this decrease in appetite can be understood.

Some Metabolic Syndromes Associated with Obesity

 - High blood fat

 - physical limitation

 - Cancer risks

 - Fatty liver

 - sleep apnea syndrome

 - high blood pressure

 - Cardiovascular diseases

 - Diabetes

Metabolic syndrome is broken after bariatric surgery and significant improvements are observed.

 - Improvement in diabetes 70-85%

 - Cholesterol and lipid recovery 70-75%

 - Improvement in hypertension 80-85%

 - Reduction in cardiovascular risk factors 60%

Obesity-Associated Cancer

 - Colorectal cancers

 - Liver tumors

 - Gallbladder cancers

 - Stomach cancers (especially upper stomach tumors)

 - Cancers of the esophagus

 - Pancreatic cancers

 - Kidney tumors

 - Thyroid cancers

 - Multiple myeloma

 - Menegioma

 - Ovarian cancers

 - Uterine cancers

 - Breast Cancers in postmenopausal women

There is an ongoing relationship at the molecular level between overweight and cancer formation mechanisms. Blood insulin resistance, increased some hormones, chronic inflammation process, the presence of stress accumulated in the body, DNA deterioration and changes in some micro-hormone levels, etc. countable.

Significant reduction in many cancers has been reported with bariatric surgery; tumors of the uterus, ovaries, breast, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, bowel…

With bariatric surgery, the normal anatomy of the stomach and intestines inevitably changes. The intestine functions as a serious endocrine organ. With the changes made here, the endocrine system in the intestine is affected, which changes glucose metabolism and breaks insulin resistance.

The reduction in obesity-related tumors is particularly pronounced.

 - Esophageal tumors

 - Colorectal tumors

 - Pancreatic cancers

 - Postmenopausal breast cancers

 - Uterine tumors

 - Kidney tumors

 - Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

 - leukemia

 - Multiple Myeloma

 - Liver tumors

 - Gallbladder tumors

As a result, the risk of obesity-related tumors decreases significantly after surgery. This means a reduction in the risk of cancer-related death. We, physicians, open a new door to the lives of our patients with surgery. It's important for them to get behind the wheel of their lives after they get through it. Increasing physical activity with weight loss and avoiding gaining weight again reveals this benefit.