New research suggests women who are heavier run a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer, the most deadly-known gynecological cancer, has now been added to the growing number of cancers known to be associated with body weight, an American Institute for Cancer Research news release reported.
Other cancers related to a higher body weight include: "post-menopausal breast cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, esophageal cancer, kidney cancer, gallbladder cancer and pancreatic cancer," the news release reported. About 585,600 cases of these cancers are diagnosed every year.
New research suggests that if everyone was at a healthy weight it would prevent 120,900, or one in five of these cancer cases, the news release reported.
"This is an important finding because it shows a way for women to reduce their chances of getting ovarian cancer," Elisa V. Bandera, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Epidemiology at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, and one of the expert panelists who authored the new AICR/WCRF Continuous Update Project (CUP) report, said in the news release. "There is so much we don't know about preventing ovarian cancer, but now we can tell women that keeping to a healthy weight can help protect against this deadly disease."
To make their findings the researchers looked at four million women; 16,000 of them were diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The team identified a six percent increase in ovarian cancer risk for every five point increase in BMI.
"These latest findings from the Continuous Update Project offer another reminder that our weight, and our lifestyle, play an important role in cancer risk for both women and men," AICR Associate Director of Nutrition Programs, Alice Bender, MS, RDN, said in the news releae. "This is really an empowering message. There are no guarantees, but adding activity into your day and healthy plant foods onto your plate are steps you can take today to reduce your risk of cancer and other chronic conditions as well."
