Obesity may double risk of cervical adenocarcinoma

Obesity and aspects of body weight distribution appear to be associated with an increased risk of cervical adenocarcinomas, researchers report in the August 15th issue of Cancer.

Dr. James V. Lacey, Jr. of the National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland and colleagues note that the association of obesity and endogenous hormone levels “raises concern regarding its role in hormone dependent carcinomas.”To investigate, the researchers conducted a case-control study involving 124 patients with adenocarcinoma, 139 with squamous cell carcinoma and 307 controls. Most were tested for human papillomavirus (HPV), which, write the investigators, “is considered a necessary cause of cervical carcinoma.”Neither height nor weight was associated with squamous cell carcinoma. In addition, the relationships of body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio and squamous cell carcinoma were weak and were not statistically significant. This was also true when HPV-positive controls alone were considered. However, compared to those with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 25, women with a BMI of 30 or more were about twice as likely (odds ratio 2.1) to have adenocarcinoma. Similarly, when those with the lowest waist-to-hip ratio were compared to those with the highest, the corresponding odds ratio was 1.8.Analysis restricted to HPV-positive participants also yielded similar results.Furthermore, after adjustment and stratification by screening, higher BMI and waist-to-hip ratio were associated with “higher disease stage at diagnosis, even among recently and frequently screened patients with adenocarcinomas.””Our study found an association between obesity and a certain type of cervical cancer,” Dr. Lacey told Reuters Health. “From a public health standpoint, this is another example of why it’s important to try to maintain a healthy body weight.”(Source: Cancer 2003;98:000-000: Reuters Health: David Douglas: July 23, 2003: Oncolink)