Cleveland Clinic Bariatric Surgeon Receives a 2023 Top Ten Clinical Research Achievement Award from the Clinical Research Forum

Tuesday, April 18, 2023, CLEVELAND: A Cleveland Clinic landmark study on obesity and cancer, led by Ali Aminian, M.D., director of Cleveland Clinic’s Bariatric & Metabolic Institute, was recognized with a 2023 Top Ten Clinical Research Achievement Award by the Clinical Research Forum (CR Forum). The award-winning paper, the SPLENDID study that was published in JAMA, also received an additional recognition as a Distinguished Clinical Research Awardee.

The Top 10 Clinical Research Achievement Awards honor groundbreaking achievements in clinical research from across the nation. The competition seeks to identify major advances in the biomedical field resulting from the nation’s investment in health and welfare. The Top 10 award recipients are selected by a CR Forum panel from among clinical research studies published in peer-reviewed journals in 2022. They are based on the degree of innovation and novelty involved in the advancement of science; contribution to the understanding of human disease and/or physiology; and potential impact upon the diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of disease.

Dr. Aminian, lead author of the landmark SPLENDID study, accepted one of the top three awards among ten awardees Monday at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

The SPLENDID (Surgical Procedures and Long-term Effectiveness in Neoplastic Disease Incidence and Death) research is a cohort study of more than 30,000 Cleveland Clinic patients. Study results showed that weight loss achieved with bariatric surgery was associated with a 32% lower risk of developing cancer and a 48% lower risk of dying from cancer compared with patients with obesity who did not undergo weight loss surgery. The study also showed that as weight loss increased, cancer risk reduced further.

Obesity is associated with a higher risk of developing at least 13 types of cancer. About 42% of American adults have obesity (CDC). The study has considerable implications for patient care and public health, as obesity rates are predicted to rise. Predictions show 1 out of 2 Americans will suffer from obesity by 2030.

The research was nominated for the CR Forum Award by Stanton Gerson, M.D., Dean of the School of Medicine and Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs at Case Western Reserve University. 

“Given the growing worldwide epidemic of obesity, these findings have considerable public health implications indicating obesity is a ‘reversible’ risk factor for cancer,” says Dr. Gerson, who also directs the school’s National Center for Regenerative Medicine.  “Current guidelines recommend lifestyle modification, but this study suggests that instead of focusing on lifestyle modification only, treating obesity with effective and long-lasting therapies may turn out to be the cornerstone of cancer prevention strategies in the future.” 

Cleveland Clinic’s Bariatric & Metabolic Institute reached a milestone in 2022 under Dr. Aminian’s leadership, with more than 1,000 successful bariatric surgery procedures in one year.

“We are deeply honored and humbled to receive this prestigious recognition from the CR Forum,” says Dr. Aminian. “If we help our patients to lose large amount of weight, we can prevent health consequences of obesity including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.”

About Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation’s best hospitals in its annual “America’s Best Hospitals” survey. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 77,000 employees worldwide are more than 5,658 salaried physicians and researchers, and 19,000 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,665-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 22 hospitals, more than 275 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; southeast Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2022, there were 12.8 million outpatient encounters, 303,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 270,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 185 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at twitter.com/ClevelandClinic. News and resources available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.

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