Researchers have long suspected a link between obesity, insulin levels, and breast cancer risk in women. While retrospective studies suggest that bariatric surgery may lower the risk of breast cancer, there is a lack of long-term prospective data to confirm these findings and understand the role of baseline insulin levels. Obesity and insulin levels have been implicated as risk factors for breast cancer. Bariatric surgery is known to be effective in reducing obesity-related complications, but its impact on breast cancer risk has not been well-established.
This study was published in the journal of JAMA Surgery by Felipe M. and colleagues.
•The study, conducted as part of the Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) study, included 2867 women aged 37 to 60 years with a body mass index (BMI) of 38 or greater.
• Over a median follow-up period of 23.9 years, 154 breast cancer events were recorded, with 66 in the surgery group and 88 in the usual care group.
• Women who underwent bariatric surgery had a decreased risk of breast cancer compared to those receiving usual obesity care (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52-1.01; P = .06).
• The reduction in breast cancer risk after bariatric surgery was more pronounced in women with baseline insulin levels above the median (adjusted HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.35-0.86; P = .008) compared to those with lower insulin levels.
The findings of this study suggest that bariatric surgery may lower the risk of breast cancer in women with obesity. Furthermore, the reduction in breast cancer risk appears to be more significant in individuals with higher baseline insulin levels, indicating a potential role for insulin in breast cancer development.
In conclusion, this prospective clinical trial provides evidence that bariatric surgery is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer in women with obesity. Moreover, the study highlights the importance of considering baseline insulin levels in assessing breast cancer risk reduction following bariatric surgery.
Reference:
Kristensson, F. M., Andersson-Assarsson, J. C., Peltonen, M., Jacobson, P., Ahlin, S., Svensson, P.-A., Sjöholm, K., Carlsson, L. M. S., & Taube, M. (2024). Breast cancer risk after bariatric surgery and influence of insulin levels: A nonrandomized controlled trial. JAMA Surgery. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamasurg.2024.1169
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