Metabolic and bariatric surgery and obesity pharmacotherapy for cancer prevention: current status and future possibilities

J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr. 2023 May 4;2023(61):68-76. doi: 10.1093/jncimonographs/lgad003.

Abstract

Obesity is a chronic, relapsing, progressive disease of excess adiposity that increases the risk of developing at least 13 types of cancer. This report provides a concise review of the current state of the science regarding metabolic and bariatric surgery and obesity pharmacotherapy related to cancer risk. Meta-analyses of cohort studies report that metabolic and bariatric surgery is independently associated with a lower risk of incident cancer than nonsurgical obesity care. Less is known regarding the cancer-preventive effects of obesity pharmacotherapy. The recent approval and promising pipeline of obesity drugs will provide the opportunity to understand the potential for obesity therapy to emerge as an evidence-based cancer prevention strategy. There are myriad research opportunities to advance our understanding of how metabolic and bariatric surgery and obesity pharmacotherapy may be used for cancer prevention.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adiposity
  • Bariatric Surgery* / adverse effects
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms* / epidemiology
  • Neoplasms* / etiology
  • Neoplasms* / prevention & control
  • Obesity / complications
  • Obesity / surgery
  • Risk