A research from the Center for Disease Control has linked
cancer to people who are overweight.
The research found obese or overweight people account for 40
% of all diagnoses of cancer in the US.
Though new cases of cancer have decreased since the 1990s,
the number of cases have amplified in the last decade for people who are carrying
around extra weight. But, these numbers are only linked to being overweight,
not caused by being overweight.
Doctors say there’re many patients who easily fall into that
category, & they don't even know they’re at a higher risk.
"People don't typically correlate that with getting
cancer," said Dr.
Jeffrey Lopez
at Tri-State Regional Cancer Center in Ashland. "They worry about
cigarette smoking & things like that, family history. But fortunately
there's something that will help them both with their heart disease, their
diabetes & decrease their risk for cancer, if they could lose weight."
According to the research, being overweight can be
associated with thirteen types of cancer including thyroid, liver, & even
breast cancer. Around 55 % of cancer cases in females are connected to being
overweight. The number is lower in males, at 24 %.
"Treatment tables have weight limits, CT scans &
MRIs have weight limits ... I've had patients I've had to put off treating
their cancer, so they can lose weight ... So it makes treating those cancers
harder. For chemotherapy patients, when you're obese you have more kidney
problems which makes chemotherapy harder ... It makes it harder to have surgery
when you're obese."
In the research, CDC officials say good health is the best treatment
for preventing chronic diseases, including cancer. Lopez echoes that statement &
hopes the numbers from this research are a wake-up call for patients to get in
shape, so they are not faced with an even tougher situation should they be
diagnosed with cancer.
"I think it will help motivate patients to exercise,
change their diets, & lose weight. There's another reason to do so. It's
not only heart disease, it's not only diabetes, but it's another
motivation."