Obesity and Endometrial Cancer: A Lack of Knowledge but Opportunity for Intervention

ABSTRACT

Objective: The causal link between obesity and endometrial cancer is well established; however obese women's knowledge of this relationship is unknown. Our objective was to explore patients' understanding of this relationship and assess the acceptability of a technology-based weight loss intervention. Methods/materials: Obese women with Type I endometrial cancer/hyperplasia were surveyed about their assessment of their body mass, knowledge of the relationship of obesity and endometrial cancer, and eating and activity habits. Interest in participation in an intervention also was assessed. Results: Eighty-one women with early stage (71.6% stage I) and grade (41.7% grade 1) disease completed the survey. The median BMI was 35.4 kg/m² (IQR 32.2–43.5 kg/m²) and the average age was 59.3 (SD 11.1) yr. 76.25% of women were unable to categorize their BMI correctly and 86.9% of those incorrectly underestimated their BMI category. One-third (35.9%) were unaware of any association between obesity and endometrial cancer and 33.3% responded that obesity decreased or did not significantly increase the risk of endometrial cancer. 59% expressed interest in a weight loss intervention. Conclusions: Endometrial cancer survivors with obesity underestimated their obesity and lacked knowledge regarding the link between obesity and endometrial cancer. However, the majority expressed interest in electronically delivered weight loss interventions.

Acknowledgment

The authors thank the Year 3 Pilot Grant from the University of Pennsylvania Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer (TREC), (U54-CA155850), NIH Training Grant T32 HD007440. Dr. Haggerty was also supported by funding from an NIH Training Grant T32 HD007440.

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report that is relevant to this research. This work has not been published elsewhere and it is not submitted simultaneously for publication elsewhere.