Association Between Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and Melanoma Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies
5 affiliations
- 1Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
- 2Faculdade Pernambucana de Saúde, Recife, Brazil
- 3Instituto de Investigación Nutricional, Lima, Peru
- 4Departamento de Cirurgia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
- 5University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
Abstract
Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) has been associated with a reduced incidence of various cancers. Yet, its potential impact on melanoma, the most lethal form of skin cancer, remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to explore associations between MBS and melanoma risk. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane for studies that compared MBS to non-MBS patients and reported the incidence of melanoma in both groups up to December 2025. The primary outcome was the risk of developing melanoma. A restricted maximum likelihood random-effects model was used to calculate risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Ten studies were included, encompassing 2,310,128 patients, of whom 445,947 (19.3%) underwent MBS. The overall incidence of melanoma was 0.11% in the MBS group (516 / 445,947) and 0.24% (4,498 / 1,864,181) in the control group. Slightly lower melanoma risk was observed in the MBS group, although the difference did not reach statistical significance (risk ratio 0.78; 95% CI 0.52 to 1.16; p = 0.222; I² = 85%). By synthesizing the largest body of evidence to date and focusing on melanoma as the primary outcome, this study provides a comprehensive assessment of the association. Considering the rarity of the outcome, the substantial heterogeneity, and the very low certainty of evidence from observational studies, further large-scale studies are warranted to better define the association between MBS and melanoma risk.
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-026-08924-7.
Related
- An updated systematic review, meta-analysis, and network meta-analysis of breast cancer incidence after metabolic and bariatric surgery
- Parental Feeding Practices, Child Eating Behaviours, and Their Association with Metabolic Control in Children with Type 1 Diabetes: A Systematic Review
- Tirzepatide for Weight Recurrence After Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: A Critical Review of Direct and Indirect Evidence with Emphasis on Sleeve Gastrectomy, Nutritional Safety, and Clinical Implications
- Anti-Obesity Medications Versus Metabolic Bariatric Surgery as Pathways to Heart Transplant Eligibility in LVAD-Supported Patients: A Narrative Review
- Association of heavy metal with sperm parameters and sex hormones: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.
BibTeX
@article{pimentel2026association,
title = {{Association Between Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and Melanoma Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies}},
author = {Túlio Pimentel and Maria Clara Florêncio and Mariano Gallo Ruelas and Luiz Alberto Mattos and Anna Carolina Batista Dantas and Tyler J. Loftus and Álvaro Antônio Bandeira Ferraz},
journal = {Obesity Surgery},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1007/s11695-026-08924-7},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-026-08924-7},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Association Between Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and Melanoma Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies
AU - Túlio Pimentel
AU - Maria Clara Florêncio
AU - Mariano Gallo Ruelas
AU - Luiz Alberto Mattos
AU - Anna Carolina Batista Dantas
AU - Tyler J. Loftus
AU - Álvaro Antônio Bandeira Ferraz
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/25
JO - Obesity Surgery
DO - 10.1007/s11695-026-08924-7
UR - https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-026-08924-7
AB - Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) has been associated with a reduced incidence of various cancers. Yet, its potential impact on melanoma, the most lethal form of skin cancer, remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to explore associations between MBS and melanoma risk. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane for studies that compared MBS to non-MBS patients and reported the incidence of melanoma in both groups up to December 2025. The primary outcome was the risk of developing melanoma. A restricted maximum likelihood random-effects model was used to calculate risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Ten studies were included, encompassing 2,310,128 patients, of whom 445,947 (19.3%) underwent MBS. The overall incidence of melanoma was 0.11% in the MBS group (516 / 445,947) and 0.24% (4,498 / 1,864,181) in the control group. Slightly lower melanoma risk was observed in the MBS group, although the difference did not reach statistical significance (risk ratio 0.78; 95% CI 0.52 to 1.16; p = 0.222; I² = 85%). By synthesizing the largest body of evidence to date and focusing on melanoma as the primary outcome, this study provides a comprehensive assessment of the association. Considering the rarity of the outcome, the substantial heterogeneity, and the very low certainty of evidence from observational studies, further large-scale studies are warranted to better define the association between MBS and melanoma risk. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-026-08924-7.
SN - 0960-8923
SN - 1708-0428
ER -