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A new study finds that women who are overweight during their teen years may face a
higher risk of developing ovarian cancer before menopause compared to their slender peers.
Weight has been a suggested risk factor for both ovarian cancer and breast cancer in
several studies, though researchers still lack conclusive evidence. Interestingly, the
study did not find an association between recent weight gain and ovarian cancer risk.
The National Cancer Institute estimates that approximately one out of 57 women will
develop ovarian cancer during their lifetime. Ovarian cancer is the sixth most common
cancer among women and the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths in women. The American
Cancer Society estimates that 23,400 new cases of ovarian cancer were diagnosed in 2001,
and approximately 13,900 women died from ovarian cancer last year. While ovarian cancer
can be successfully treated in its early stages, the majority of cases are not diagnosed
until later stages because disease symptoms can be subtle or "silent."
Researchers have identified a number of risk factors that increase ovarian cancer risk,
including advancing age, family history of ovarian cancer, genetic mutations of certain
genes (such as BRCA1 or BRCA2), early onset of menstruation, late menopause, and others. (Click here for a complete list of ovarian cancer risk factors).
Weight has also been suggested as a risk factor for ovarian cancer, as well as for breast
cancer, possibly because the body stores estrogen in fat cells.
To investigate the link between body weight and ovarian cancer risk, Dr. Kathleen M.
Fairfield of Harvard Medical School and colleagues studied the current weight, weight at
age 18, and adult weight change of 109,445 adult female nurses, 402 of whom had developed
ovarian cancer. The researchers used body mass index (BMI) to determine whether the women
were normal weight, overweight, or obese. BMI measures a person’s total body fat
based on weight and height; it is derived by multiplying a person's weight in pounds by
703 and then dividing it twice by the person’s height in inches. According to federal
guidelines:
- BMI of 24 or under = not overweight
- BMI of 25 to 29.9 = overweight
- BMI of 30 or greater = obese
(Click here to view a chart that
shows BMI by height and weight).
Dr. Fairfield and her colleagues found that women who were heaviest at age 18 (with a
BMI of 25 or higher) faced the greatest risk of developing ovarian cancer before they
reached menopause. However, there was no association between adolescent weight the ovarian
cancer risk after menopause, when the majority of cases occur.
The researchers were alarmed by the findings because obesity has increased
significantly in younger American women in the recent past. Though further studies are
needed to better understand the relationship of body weight and ovarian cancer risk,
weight is one factor women can control. Weight has also been associated with a higher risk
of heart disease and other health problems.
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