Cohort study of risk of esophageal and gastric cancer after bariatric surgery

Bariatric surgery has been associated with a reduced risk of cancer in individuals with obesity. However, the association of bariatric surgery with esophageal and gastric cancer is still controversial. In a cohort study of 908.849 patients with severe obesity in France, bariatric surgery was associated with a significant reduction of esophageal and gastric cancer compared with patients who did not undergo bariatric surgery (4.9 versus 6.9 per 100.000 per year). The authors conclude that the findings of this study suggest that bariatric surgery can be performed as treatment for severe obesity without increasing the risk of esophageal and gastric cancer.