Abstract discussant, Loren Laine, MD, Digestive Disease Week Council Chair and Professor of Medicine, Digestive Diseases, at Yale School of Medicine, acknowledged the clear link between obesity and various types of cancer and noted it logically follows that weight loss may help to reduce this risk. However, Dr. Laine also expressed caution in interpreting the results of this retrospective observational study because of potential limitations.

Loren Laine, MD

As Dr. Laine explained, observational studies may not account for all known factors related to cancer development and may have, in the words of Donald Rumsfeld, “unknown unknowns” that could influence the results. Dr. Laine emphasized the importance of considering these limitations when evaluating the study’s findings. He also expressed interest in seeing the time course of when these cancers developed following bariatric surgery, as this information could provide more insight into the potential protective effects of bariatric surgery on cancer risk.

In addition, Dr. Laine raised the question of whether other causes of weight loss, such as medical and endoscopic interventions, could have similar effects on reducing cancer risk. According to Dr. Laine, it would be fascinating to investigate whether there is a “dose-response relationship between the amount of weight loss and the likelihood of reducing cancer risk.”

Ultimately, said Dr. Laine, the work by Dr. Chittajallu and colleagues is valuable, but further studies are needed to explore the relationship between bariatric surgery, weight loss, and cancer risk reduction. 

DISCLOSURE: Dr. Laine reported no conflicts of interest.