Question:
How much higher is one's risk for cancer from being obese?

My mother has had colon cancer twice and now has just been diagnosed with lymphoma. I am curious to know whether I am at a higher risk of these types of cancer from being obese, or if the risks are just because of hereditary reasons? Also will WLS lower my chances of getting these types of cancer?    — Laura H. (posted on August 24, 1999)

August 25, 1999
Cancer Risk: We don't have a lot of data on the truly morbidly obese, with BMI>40. A BMI >=30 has about a 50% increase in cancer risk. The cancer risk in the morbidly obese population (BMI>40) is hidden by the high cardiac risk, which results in a tenfold increase in the death rate for those 30 to 55 years old. Heart attacks really thin out the crowd of the morbidly obese by age 60. Will WLS decrease the risk? That is the $64,000 question. We all hope so and expect so, but proof so far is lacking. I try to keep abreast of the literature but have not seen definitive followup studies of those patients who had WLS in the 1970's or early 1980's which would be key in answering your question. Diabetes and high cholesterol seems to be improved by the procedures so there is grounds for optimism.
   — Bruce B.