Recently conducted research studies have led to obesity being linked with colon cancer in women. It has been found that obesity is one of the biggest factors that contributed to the occurrence of this fatal disease in women. Infact, it is possibly even more hazardous than smoking, which was earlier believed to be mainly responsible for causing colon cancer in a woman. The research papers supporting this claim were presented in Philadelphia this week only.
Dr. Joseph C. Anderson reported at the meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology that under a study, 1,252 women underwent screening for colorectal cancer. Amongst these women, the obese women were found to be at a greater risk of developing the lethal ailment. As per Anderson, of Stony Brook University in New York, one out of five significant polyps detected during colonoscopy can be attributed to obesity.
Anderson's team further found out that the 20 percent of the women who had colorectal cancer or pre-cancer were obese. On the other hand, only 14 percent of these women comprised of smokers. Now, along with the traditional risk factors, liked age, family history and smoking, obesity is also considered as a significant factor for putting a woman at risk for colorectal cancer. The physicians need to sensitize their patients about the risk posed by obesity, since ignorance leads to dangerous outcomes.
