VSG causes high risk for pancreatic cancer

[Jenny12 361]

Well, crap. I have already had my VSG, so there is nothing I can do about this now. I am reading online now though that a partial gastrectomy has shown to really increase a persons risk for pancreatic cancer. I think we all know what BAD news that cancer is. Google it, easy to find. There have been studies on it. Why didn't I see this before surgery during all of my crazy research?? I was a low bmi'er too, so this surgery was not life or death for me. Does anyone have any insight? Perhaps able to make me feel better!? I wish I had never read it now.

[goirish78 100]

Honestly, there are risks associated with everything in life. You can't unring the bell, so to speak, so go on about your life and just file the information in your mind. If risk factors were everything, then according to the odds and the genetics of both sides of my family, I should be diabetic, have advancing heart disease, major problems with cholesterol, and a bout with melanoma and breast cancer. None of those have come to pass yet, but there's no guarantee they won't in the future. However, for now, I'm choosing to make the good decisions I need to for myself, and I don't have the energy or the inclination to worry about thing over which I have little to no control.

[trudyjo 22]

Please tell me where you found this information! I looked and couldn't find anything... My mom died of pancreatic cancer, I don't want to increase my risk of getting this horrible disease. Her doctor told us when she was diagnosed that almost all pancreatic cancer ( not saying all...) is caused from smoking. Please give more info. As I haven't had surgery yet and this might impact my decision.

[Jenny12 361]

Just google "partial gastrectomy causes increased risk of pancreatic cancer". Lots of websites come up. I think this would of definitely impacted my decision as well. I have officially scared myself.

[SerendipityHappens 1,594]

Obesity and diabetes are also risk factors for pancreatic cancer... damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[Rox 200]

If you're obese, diabetic,smoker, african american, jewish, and over 60. I would worry. I don't take this lightly, my cousin and best friend died last Nov. from this horrible cancer. I wouldn't wish this type of death on my worst enemy.

[cbd 78]

The studies that I have read all discuss partial gastrectomies due to peptic ulcer disease. It was low on the risk factors after heredity and smoking and several more.

[sknyinside 99]

Here's my take on it - keeping in mind that I haven't researched it. Many gastrectomies in the past were due to gastric ulcers which were bleeding and difficult to treat. The reason many were so difficult to treat is that some ulcers are not just caused by increased stomach acid production, but due to a bacteria - H. pylori. H. pylori causes increased chance of pancreatic cancerj in and of itself. I am an oncology nurse and have had H. pylori myself in the past if you are wondering how I know this without research.

Just doing a gastrectomy is not going to get rid of h pylori. Seems like the 1980's or 1990's is when H pylori started being treated with antibiotics. So, depending on when people were treated with gastrectomy for ulcers, it may play a part in this statistic. So, it may not be that having a gastrectomy was the problem causing increased pancreatic cancer, but that the reason a gastrectomy was needed was the problem.

Just food for thought.

[Beach Lover 1,084]

The studies that I have read all discuss partial gastrectomies due to peptic ulcer disease. It was low on the risk factors after heredity and smoking and several more.

I also looked it up and that was my interpretation as well. I could die of a million different reasons because of obesity. When you lose weight a lot of these reasons are no longer a risk factor. I am not going to worry about this.

[Autumnrain1908 76]

I agree. I don't take this lightly either BUT have you heard all if the ongoing side effects and risks from a lot of the medication we take. REALLY? We are/were killing ourselves daily by eating poorly and abusing this temple of our body. Be comfortable with your decision. The way I see it, I am a spiritual/religious person and when God is ready for me, he'll take me.

[smjuroska 60]

You just scared the crap out of me! I have not been sleeved, I get the sleeve next Tues. I googled it and I did find a case study of one patient. He had the sleeve but also has his spleen removed and had cancer previously...Kidneys I think. He also has diabetes, hear attack, and lots of other issues. So I am assuming that his previous cancer and bad genes has more to do with that than sleeve. They did state there is not evidence that the sleeve increases the risk. I am not sure if this is what you read or not.

[Beach Lover 1,084]

I agree. I don't take this lightly either BUT have you heard all if the ongoing side effects and risks from a lot of the medication we take. REALLY? We are/were killing ourselves daily by eating poorly and abusing this temple of our body. Be comfortable with your decision. The way I see it, I am a spiritual/religious person and when God is ready for me, he'll take me.

You know when I first read this that was my first thought. God knows the number of hairs on our head. I believe we came onto this earth with a predetermined date and we will leave with a predetermined date. I am a saved believing christian and I know that God already knew my walk on this earth including this surgery. So I will keep the faith and lose weight with a smile on my face.

[smjuroska 60]

Here's my take on it - keeping in mind that I haven't researched it. Many gastrectomies in the past were due to gastric ulcers which were bleeding and difficult to treat. The reason many were so difficult to treat is that some ulcers are not just caused by increased stomach acid production, but due to a bacteria - H. pylori. H. pylori causes increased chance of pancreatic cancerj in and of itself. I am an oncology nurse and have had H. pylori myself in the past if you are wondering how I know this without research.

Just doing a gastrectomy is not going to get rid of h pylori. Seems like the 1980's or 1990's is when H pylori started being treated with antibiotics. So, depending on when people were treated with gastrectomy for ulcers, it may play a part in this statistic. So, it may not be that having a gastrectomy was the problem causing increased pancreatic cancer, but that the reason a gastrectomy was needed was the problem.

Just food for thought.

I agree I did find some info about that but I took the info to mean that the ulcers from H pylori increased this risk not the gastrectomy. Calming down now !

[BKLYNgal87 503]

Don't take this the wrong way but sometimes a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

No one risk factor alone will cause cancer. Not even smoking. As someone with a lot more than a layman's grasp of how it works and I have to disagree with your interpretation of studies that deal mostly with either total gastrectomy or peptic ulcer surgery (both for alleviation of peptic ulcers - a very nasty condition to live with).

I looked at that case report someone mentioned above and I think it's pretty clear VSG did NOT cause his cancer to develop. Pancreatic cancer is very, very slow growing and hard to detect until it has advanced. It does not develop 3 months after a surgery, which was when he was diagnosed.

Don't sweat the remote possibilities. Think about how you are taking steps [including this surgery] to not succumb to more real threats - heart disease, diabetes, and the rest of the horrid obesity related diseases.

[tagster 10]

One of the primary reasons I decided to get sleeved is that I'm currently watching my mom die from pancreatic cancer. I know obesity, high blood sugar, etc contributes to the horrible disease, so I wanted to take control of my health before it's too late. I also did a lot of research and still think the benefits outweigh (pun intended!) the other 'possible' consequences.

Good health to all of you.