Oct 24 2014 : Mirror (Pune)
Your obesity could lead to cancer
Mayuri Phadnis TWEET @ThePuneMirror
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Top bariatric specialists look into rising connection between obesity and cancer, issue guidelines to screen obese patients for cancer pre-surgery
Around three months ago, a 58 year-old female NRI, originally a resident of Pune, visited a prominent bariatric surgeon in the city -the obese woman complained that she had been feeling more out of breath than ever before.While she had initially blamed it solely on being overweight, further investigations revealed that a thymus gland cancer was, in fact, causing the breathlessness. In a similar case, a 55-year-old city-based woman with the same doctor, who had sought treatment for obesity, was diagnosed with large intestine cancer after further tests -while unhealthy, she had been completely unaware that she was even susceptible to the ominous condition.While obesity is linked to various diseases like heart ailments, diabetes, sleep apnea, etc., recent observations by city doctors -and international ones -have found an alarming association between obesity and cancer. In fact, the American Society for Clinical Oncology in a statement released in the first week of October officially acknowledged the association, saying further research is required in the area.Subsequently, the Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society of India (OSSI) also declared in their guidelines that testing for cancer is necessary among other pre-surgery screenings.
While it must be noted that not all obese people suffer from cancer, Dr Shashank Shah, leading bariatric surgeon and OSSI president, estimated that around one to two per cent of them do. “Obesity can cause cancers of the prostate, breast, large intestine, etc. People who have been obese since childhood are more predisposed to cancer after 45 years of age than a person who is not obese. Taking this research and our observations into consideration, we are including cancer screening in our guidelines before surgery,“ he said.
Experts add that excess weight mass is not just `cold storage' it is chemically active and secretes substances that contribute to cancer-causing factors. As the amount of mass increases, so do secretions. Weight also causes hormonal disturbances in the body -this could lead to breast cancer in women and prostate gland cancer in men. “Besides the risk of cancer, symptoms in obese people appear late and may remain undetected for long.Diagnosis is also difficult, since in sonographies, their thick abdominal walls make it difficult to get a clear picture. Treating them is also challenging because other obesity-related diseases have to be looked into,“ said Dr Jayashree Todkar, a city-based bariatric surgeon, who also consults at the Poona Hospital.
In fact, Dr Sanjay Borude, a bariatric surgeon at the Breach Candy, Jaslok and Hinduja hospitals in Mumbai, has pegged these estimates at much higher levels. “Around 10 to 14 per cent of obese people may suffer from cancer. Intra-abdominal fat disturbs their hormonal balance, causing cancers like that of the uterus, breasts and prostate. It may even cause oesophageal and large intestinal cancers,“ he said.
While it must be noted that not all obese people suffer from cancer, Dr Shashank Shah, leading bariatric surgeon and OSSI president, estimated that around one to two per cent of them do. “Obesity can cause cancers of the prostate, breast, large intestine, etc. People who have been obese since childhood are more predisposed to cancer after 45 years of age than a person who is not obese. Taking this research and our observations into consideration, we are including cancer screening in our guidelines before surgery,“ he said.
Experts add that excess weight mass is not just `cold storage' it is chemically active and secretes substances that contribute to cancer-causing factors. As the amount of mass increases, so do secretions. Weight also causes hormonal disturbances in the body -this could lead to breast cancer in women and prostate gland cancer in men. “Besides the risk of cancer, symptoms in obese people appear late and may remain undetected for long.Diagnosis is also difficult, since in sonographies, their thick abdominal walls make it difficult to get a clear picture. Treating them is also challenging because other obesity-related diseases have to be looked into,“ said Dr Jayashree Todkar, a city-based bariatric surgeon, who also consults at the Poona Hospital.
In fact, Dr Sanjay Borude, a bariatric surgeon at the Breach Candy, Jaslok and Hinduja hospitals in Mumbai, has pegged these estimates at much higher levels. “Around 10 to 14 per cent of obese people may suffer from cancer. Intra-abdominal fat disturbs their hormonal balance, causing cancers like that of the uterus, breasts and prostate. It may even cause oesophageal and large intestinal cancers,“ he said.
