Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), a procedure to surgically shrink the stomach to reduce overeating in patients with obesity, reduces the risk of endometrial cancer (EC), according to a study recently published in Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases.
This is likely due to the relationship between obesity and EC risk. Obesity is a significant medical issue in the United States, affecting nearly half (40.3%) of the population. Studies show that obesity is associated with menstrual cycle disorders and EC risk due to the way it alters hormonal pathways.
Researchers sought to better understand this issue by analyzing various studies on this subject published between November 2024 and January 2025. Specifically, they wanted to investigate if MBS had a positive effect on EC risk.
A total of 14 relevant studies were identified and analyzed. Researchers found that EC remains the most common type of gynecological cancer in the United States. There appears to be a 50% increase in EC risk for every 5-unit increase in body mass index (BMI). A possible reason for this is that patients with obesity often have increased insulin levels and insulin resistance, both of which are important factors that contribute to EC.
Read more about EC causes and risk factors
MBS has emerged as one of the most effective therapeutic strategies to deal with obesity. Because of its efficacy in reducing obesity, it is also associated with a reduction in many of the health complications associated with this disease.
Based on their analysis of the selected studies, researchers concluded that MBS can reduce the risk of obesity-associated cancers, including both EC and breast cancer. Beyond reducing cancer risk, MBS is also associated with a general reduction in mortality in patients with cancer, including EC. As such, MBS can potentially be viewed as an adjunct treatment in EC.
“To further advocate for the integration of MBS as a definitive treatment of EC in women presenting with obesity, its long-term outcomes on EC must be continuously investigated through larger trials with longer follow-up periods,” the authors of the study concluded.
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