A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that extreme obesity may adversely impact colon cancer prognosis. Specifically, researchers determined that people who were extremely obese when diagnosed with colon cancer experienced higher recurrence and mortality rates.
They reached this conclusion by examining medical records from about 4,200 people with colon cancer. When they compared patients' weight status at the time of diagnosis to their medical status about 11 years later, the researchers identified an association between extreme obesity, recurrence, and colon cancer-related deaths.
What is extreme obesity?
It may seem the word "obese" has negative enough connotations without tacking the word "extreme" onto it. But "extreme obesity" is actually a medical term that indicates someone exceeds their recommended weight, one step beyond simply being obese. Weight status is generally determined using the Body Mass Index (BMI) scale - a chart full of calculations that reflect five weight classes for any height: underweight, normal, overweight, obese, and extremely obese. (If you want to know your score, you can use the BMI calculator to figure it out.)
What are the study's limitations?
It's important to note that this study drew its conclusions based on each patient's weight at the time of diagnosis. It didn't take into account whether people lost or gained weight over the course of 11 years. So, the study treated an extremely obese woman who dropped into the healthy weight range and later developed a recurrence, the same as an extremely obese woman who developed a recurrence while remaining extremely obese.
The study participants were previously enrolled in two different studies examining the role of specific anticancer therapies after diagnosis of potentially-curable colon cancer. This study was not specifically designed to comment on the question of obesity and cancer recurrence.
More research is needed to determine if extremely obese people who lose weight after a colon cancer diagnosis will decrease their chances of dying from colon cancer or enduring a recurrence.
More Articles about Weight and Colon Cancer:- Study Finds Thick Middles Increase Colon Cancer Risk
- Obese Women are Four Times More Likely to Develop Colon Cancer
- Obesity Increases Colorectal Cancer Risk in Women
Source: Dignam, J., Polite, B., et al. "Body Mass Index and Outcomes in Patients Who Receive Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Colon Cancer." Journal of the National Cancer Institute 98.22 (15 Nov. 2006): 1647-1654. 22 Nov. 2006.
