A new analysis published in the BJS (British Journal of Surgery) indicates that weight loss surgery may affect an individual’s risk of developing cancer.

This national population-based cohort study used data from the Hospital Episode Statistics database in England collected between 1997 and 2012. A total of 8794 obese patients who underwent gastric bypass, gastric banding, or sleeve gastrectomy were matched with 8794 obese individuals who did not have surgery.

Patients who underwent surgery had a 77 percent decreased risk of developing hormone-related cancer (breast, endometrial, or prostate cancer) when compared with patients who did not have surgery.

Gastric bypass resulted in the largest risk reduction (84 percent) for hormone-related cancer but was associated with a greater than twofold increased risk of colorectal cancer.

Additional studies are needed to understand the biological mechanisms behind these findings.