GERD & esophageal cancer: not as high a risk as once thought

[ouroborous 519]

Good news!

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101209121429.htm

• Women with GERD likely have a low rate of esophageal adenocarcinoma, similar to the rate of breast cancer in men.
• The rate of esophageal adenocarcinoma in white men who are 60 years old with weekly GERD is just one-third of their rate of colorectal cancer or 34.6 per 100,000 patients per year.
• The rate of esophageal adenocarcinoma in younger white men with GERD is less than one-third of their incidence of colorectal cancer.

In short, while GERD (which is obviously a concern for us sleevers) does increase your risk for this uncommon cancer somewhat, it's still not a very large risk, and probably not significant enough to be super vigilant for.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,281]

This is really great information, thanks for sharing. I must say, when I eat too much I get the regurgitation - and if anything, knowing the GERD can cause cancer, if even a slight risk, should keep me from going overboard. I'll get it someday.

[chilo1 62]

Even if we do have GERD after being sleeved (which i don't thank God!) I'm sure the risk of dying from obesity related diseases is much greater than actually dying from esophageal cancer, just a thought

[ouroborous 519]

Even if we do have GERD after being sleeved (which i don't thank God!) I'm sure the risk of dying from obesity related diseases is much greater than actually dying from esophageal cancer, just a thought

This is absolutely correct, and a very good point. The net result of lap sleeve is, for almost all of us, a significant reduction in risk of death and illness. The few specific risk areas -- GERD, B12 deficiency, acid-blocker consequences -- are relatively small compared to the big killers like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

[BlackBerryJuice 349]

Great, I'm paranoid about this. I don't have reflux very often, maybe a few days a month (I pop a Nexium and I'm good in half an hour), but before the surgery, I almost never had it.

[vickyl 8]

My father died at age 51 of this cancer. LIVED on rolaids... No one ever heard if this cancer. I suffered from GERD before surgery and still do. The risk of the cancer wasn't as significant as the co morbitities of not having the surgery. Nexium helps!

[Kristina J. 581]

I've had GERD (quite severely) for almost 10 years now, since being banded in 2003. Even with my band completely empty now, I still have symptoms that I have to control with a daily PPI. Had the band worked (well, worked without complications), it would be a fair trade. This info makes me feel better about it though! I know it's a toss up whether the sleeve will improve, aggregate or not effect my GERD at all. Hopefully it will actually help, but honestly, even if it got worse, I am in the habit of controlling it with medication and the effect my weight is having on my heart puts me at much higher risk of serious medical issues than GERD ever will.

Thanks for posting!