Obese women with ovarian tumors have a poorer prognosis than women who are not obese. New Studies show that obese women who develop ovarian tumor have a lower chance of survival than women who have normal or excessive body weight. According to a study published in the journal Cancer, obese women have less time to re-appearance of tumors. Obesity is a known risk factor for several malignant diseases, including endometrial tumor, kidney, breast and colon tumor. This study is the first in which obesity is identified as an independent factor in progression of ovarian tumors and survival. Scientists believe that fat cells are making some hormonal factor that stimulate tumor cells to behave more aggressively and are less resistant to traditional chemotherapeutics. The study included 216 women who all had epithelial ovarian tumor, otherwise the most common form, which originated from the cell surface of the ovary, which are called epithelial cells. Women's tumor was operated in the period of 1996-2003. 8% of patients were malnourished, 50% had ideal body weight, 26% had excessive body weight, 16% were obese (defined by Body Mass Index 30 and over).Women with BMI of more than 25 (on the border of excessive weight) had a shorter time of survival without cancer than women with lower BMI. How BMI was increased, so did the chance to die from tumors also. When the scientists evaluated all 216 patients, they did not found great difference between survival of obese women and women with an ideal body weight. However, when they considered advancing of disease (stage III and IV) different flow was observed. In these women a higher BMI was associated with shorter time of appearance of tumors and shorter survival time. According to the statistics of American Cancer Society 20 000 women in the United States annually is diagnosed with ovarian tumor, and 15 000 women a year die from ovarian cancer. Scientists believe that these new findings are another reason for maintaining normal body weight.
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