Obesity is a known risk factor for many cancers. A recent study, involving over 2,000 bariatric surgery patients, asks whether losing weight could reduce the risk of melanoma. “Understanding the risk factors behind every type of cancer is important in our effort to minimize the population’s risk at large.” And, obesity has already been confirmed as a risk factor for a number of cancers, including endometrial, liver, kidney, colorectal, and pancreatic cancer. The most obvious risk factor for skin cancer is unprotected sun exposure. However, according to earlier studies, obesity may also play a role. Recently, researchers set out to further investigate obesity’s role in the risk of melanoma, a quick-growing form of skin cancer. Previous work has concluded that obesity increases both the risk and the growth rate of melanoma. In the recent study, however, the researchers wanted to understand whether losing weight would reduce the level of risk. The scientists, led by Magdalena Taube, from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, presented their findings at the European Congress on Obesity, held in Vienna, Austria. To examine the link between obesity, weight loss, and melanoma, they took data from the Swedish Obese Subjects study – a project set up to monitor the outcomes of bariatric surgery compared against individuals using conventional obesity treatments. Published in Daily Times, May 28th 2018.