On TV - Lapband and esophagus cancer correlation

[WormButterfly]

Hi everyone,

My mum phoned me and said the chances of having cancer of the esophagus was very high in lapband patients, this is because of the food sitting in the pouch longer than normal as well as the heart burn etc. Does anyone know more about this? I dont want to scare myself until I know more facts.

Thanks

[RevyD]

That would be a good questions for Dr Ortiz. He has had 1000s of patients so could give you stats on if any of his patients developed cancer. Personally I think the media just try to scare the hell out of you .

It is like the H1N1 and all the false reporting that has been done. I am a nurse and all the media did was really screw up informatoin and provoke panic in the people.

[MyNext30Years]

Even if there is a higher risk, just think of all the diseases you are preventing from having the band! To me that outweighs it!

Mandy

[PAMMIE]

That would be a good questions for Dr Ortiz. He has had 1000s of patients so could give you stats on if any of his patients developed cancer. Personally I think the media just try to scare the hell out of you .

It is like the H1N1 and all the false reporting that has been done. I am a nurse and all the media did was really screw up informatoin and provoke panic in the people.

I DON'T THINK THE OCC KEEPS ANY KIND OF STATS ON THEIR PATIENTS AFTER THEY'RE BANDED. I'VE NEVER RECIEVED ANYTHING FROM THEM IN THE MAIL OR EMAIL AS FAR AS A QUESTIONNAIRE ETC

BUT THEY MAY HAVE NATIONAL STATS AVAILABLE

[MrsParris]

Before my band I had severe acid reflux, like waking me up 3-4 times at night. Since getting the band all heartburn and acid reflux have disappeared. Even if I hadn't lost much weight from the band, just that one positive side effect made the band worth it to me. I am not going to worry too much about the posibility that the band could possibly cause an increase in cancer. It is interesting though and I would like to know if it is true.

[nothereanymore]

This was written as a symptom of obesity not as a symptom of having a lapband. However my guess would be if you do have bad acid reflux from anything you could have an increase in esophageal cancer.

http://www.lapbypass.com/gastric-bypass-morbid-obesity/

Gastroesophageal reflux/Heartburn. Acid belongs in the stomach and seldom causes any problem when it stays there. When acid escapes into the esophagus through a weak or overloaded valve at the top of the stomach, the result is called gastroesophageal reflux, and "heartburn" and acid indigestion are common symptoms. Approximately 10-15% of patients with even mild sporadic symptoms of heartburn will develop a condition called Barrett's esophagus, which is a pre-malignant change in the lining membrane of the esophagus, a cause of esophageal cancer.