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Study: Obesity Increases Ovarian Cancer Risk

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Jan 5, 2009 5:15 pm US/Mountain

Study: Obesity Increases Ovarian Cancer Risk

Reporting
Dr. Dave Hnida
DENVER (CBS4) ― Many women who develop ovarian cancer have a family history of the disease or some other risk factor. Now a new study shows simply being overweight can raise the risk by more than 80 percent.

Ovarian cancer is considered one of the deadliest forms. Only about one in three women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer survive five years. That's one of the lowest rates of all cancers.

"So obviously you want to do everything you can to lessen your risk of this disease," CBS4 Medical Editor Dr. Dave Hnida said. "With this study we now know carrying too much weight is a major risk factor, but it is one you can do something about."

Researchers looking at women who have never taken hormone replacement therapy found that those who are obese have an almost 80 percent higher risk of ovarian cancer compared to normal weight women.

"The results of the study are not surprising," said Dr. Stephanie Blank, gynecologic oncologist at the New York University Cancer Institute. "Obesity is known to increase the chances of multiple cancers. It is not surprising to me ovarian cancer is one of those."

The disease killed more than 15,000 women in the U.S. in 2008, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Researchers believe obese women may face an elevated risk because their fat cells turn normal hormones into estrogen, and estrogen plays a role in the development of ovarian cancer.

"While being thin is no guarantee you will not get ovarian cancer, a normal weight adds an extra layer of protection from the disease," Hnida said.

Researchers did not define how much weight is too much, but do say any extra weight can raise risk, and the more extra weight, the higher the risk.

"What makes ovarian cancer so bad is that it's usually spread by the time it's diagnosed," Hnida said. "It's important for women to be aware of early warning signs such as bloating and low back pain that can be hidden signs of the cancer."

(© MMIX CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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