Time Will Tell: the Short Term Gain and the Long Term Loss: Bariatric Surgery and Colorectal Cancer

Obesity is a growing worldwide epidemic, and its prevalence is continuously rising. Bariatric and metabolic surgery is the most effective treatment modality for long-term weight loss and resolution of associated comorbidities. It is well known that obesity increases overall mortality, and the link between obesity and increased cancer risk (mainly hormone-related cancers such as breast cancer and endometrial cancer) is firmly established. On the other hand, the association between intentional weight reduction through bariatric or metabolic surgery and reduced cancer risk, mainly none hormone-mediated cancers, remains poorly understood, with limited knowledge and conflicting data in the medical literature. Furthermore, the published outcomes regarding the effect of bariatric and metabolic surgery on the risk of colorectal cancer suggest a complex and poorly understood association. We herein review the literature regarding such an association and provide a plausible mechanism behind the increased risk of colorectal cancer after bariatric and metabolic surgery.