22 Jun 2009
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Risk can be up to 22 times greater for obese women who go through early menopause
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22 June 2009
A study in July’s Obstetrics & Gynecology shows that overweight and obese women, and particularly those who go through the menopause early, are at greatly increased risk of developing endometrial (uterine) cancer.
It found that:
- women with BMI over 35 who were under 45 when they had their last menstrual period have a 21.7 times greater risk of developing endometrial cancer than a woman of normal weight;
- women who were overweight (BMIs of 25+) who were under 45 at the age of their last menstrual period had about a six-fold increase in risk compared to women of normal weight.
Timing of menopause greatly increases the risk. In women who did not go through early menopause (i.e. were older than 45 at their last period), those with BMI over 35 had 3.7 times greater odds of developing endometrial cancer than women of normal weight.
The researchers suspect that a hormonal imbalance (lack of progesterone) is probably to blame for the increased risk.
Source: Forbes, 22 June 2009.