Obese women who have never used hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are at significantly increased risk of developing ovarian cancer, suggest results of a recent study of nearly 100,000 women.
Dr. Michael F Leitzmann of the National Cancer Institute and colleagues studied 94,525 women aged 50 to 71 years for seven years. Results showed that among women who had never used HRT, those who were obese were almost 80% more likely to develop ovarian cancer than non-obese women. In contrast, the researchers found no link between body weight and ovarian cancer risk in women who had used HRT.
The authors concluded: “The observed relations between obesity and ovarian cancer risk have relevance for public health programs aimed at reducing obesity in the population.”
News release: Study links obesity to elevated risk of ovarian cancer. American Cancer Society. January 5th 2009.
