An obese woman who has ovarian cancer is more likely to die from it than a woman of normal weight who also has ovarian cancer, say scientists from the The Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, USA. They say that fat cells encourage tumour growth by excreting a hormone.
You can read about this study in the journal Cancer.
According to Dr. Andrew J. Li, team leader, “This study is the first to identify weight as an independent factor in ovarian cancer in disease progression and overall survival, suggesting that there is an element in the fat tissue itself that influences the outcome of this disease in obese women.”
The team examined 216 women. They all had epithelial ovarian cancer. 35 were obese and 108 were of normal weight. 90% of all women with ovarian cancer have epithelial ovarian cancer.
The records of women undergoing surgery for epithelial ovarian cancer at Cedars Sinai Medical Center between January 1, 1996 and June 30, 2003 were reviewed for height, weight, age, comorbidities, and treatment-specific details.
The scientists concluded that obesity (for women with ovarian cancer):
— Undermines a woman’s survival rate
— Made recurrence after treatment more likely and earlier
— Made women die earlier
Although the scientists believe they know how fat influences tumour growth, they need to carry out further studies in this area to clarify the molecular and hormonal mechanisms underlying these clinical observations.
Effect of obesity on survival in epithelial ovarian cancer
James C. Pavelka, MD, Rebecca S. Brown, MD, Beth Y. Karlan, MD, Ilana Cass, MD, Ronald S. Leuchter, MD, Leo D. Lagasse, MD, Andrew J. Li, MD
Cancer DOI: 10.1002/cncr.22194
View Abstract Onliine
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today