Screening colonoscopy in the initial workup of bariatric surgery patients: guidelines are needed.

Background: Cancer is one of the most common causes of death among morbidly obese individuals. Obese individuals have a well-documented increased risk of colon cancer. No guidelines are available for the workup of bariatric surgery patients in relation to colon cancer.

Microsatellite polymorphism of the human leptin gene and risk of obesity.

Background: Leptin is a hormone mainly produced by adipose tissue. It acts on both energy intake and expenditure to maintain relative stability of body weight and energy storage over long period of time. Variation in size of the tetranucleotide repeat located at the 3' end of leptin gene (LEP3'HVR) can influence leptin expression.