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| Obese women who develop ovarian cancer have lower survival rates than those of normal weight, according to a study published online in the American Cancer Society's journal Cancer Tuesday. (Source: baidu.com) | BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- Obese women
who develop ovarian cancer have lower survival rates than those of normal
weight, according to a study published online in the American Cancer
Society's journal Cancer Tuesday.
The study showed that obesity affected survival
rates, shortened the length of time to recurrence of the disease and led to
earlier death from the cancer.
"This study is the first to identify weight as an
independent factor in ovarian cancer in disease progression and overall
survival, suggesting that there is an element in the fat tissue itself that
influences the outcome of this disease in obese women," said Andrew Li, the
study's principal investigator at the Cedars-Sinai Women's Cancer Research
Institute in Los Angeles.
Obesity has already been tied to breast, uterine and
colorectal cancers. Links to ovarian cancer haven't been certain, the
researchers noted.
Researchers examined progression of the disease in 216
women, 35 of whom were obese, while 108 were of ideal weight. The
researchers discovered that in addition to their findings on mortality and
recurrence of the disease, the cells of the tumours appeared different.
"While further molecular studies are warranted, our study
suggests that fat tissue excretes a hormone or protein that causes ovarian
cancer cells to grow more aggressively," said Li. Enditem
(Agencies)
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