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Body Mass Index and the Risk of Death Following the Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer in Postmenopausal Women (United States)

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Abstract

Objectives Although overweight body mass is an established risk factor for colorectal cancer incidence, few studies have examined the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality after colorectal cancer diagnosis. We examined survival in a group of postmenopausal women according to BMI.

Methods Using the Wisconsin Cancer Reporting System we identified and enrolled 633 postmenopausal women aged 38–74 years who were diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 1988–1991. These women were interviewed by telephone; vital status was ascertained via Wisconsin death certificates. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate multivariate risks of colorectal cancer-specific and all-cause mortality.

Results Both underweight (BMI <20.0 kg/m2) (Hazard Ratio (HR) 2.3, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.0–5.4) and obese (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m2) women (HR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1–3.8) were at increased risk of colon cancer death, as compared to normal weight women (BMI 20.0–24.9 kg/m2). No association was observed for those with rectal cancer. Approximately 50% increases in all-cause mortality were observed among underweight and obese women with colorectal cancer. Postmenopausal hormone use did not appear to modify these associations.

Conclusions Underweight and obese postmenopausal women with colon cancer were at increased risk of death, though comorbidities may partially account for this risk.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge Drs. Henry Anderson and Patrick Remington for their advice and support throughout this study; Laura Stephenson and the staff of the Wisconsin Cancer Reporting System for assistance with data; and the participants and study staff of the Wisconsin Women’s Health Study for their commitment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Public Health Sciences, Cancer Prevention Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, M4-B402, P.O. Box 19024, 98109-1024, Seattle, Washington, USA

    V. Paul Doria-Rose, Polly A. Newcomb & Libby M. Morimoto

  2. Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Polly A. Newcomb

  3. University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center, Madison, WI, USA

    Polly A. Newcomb, John M. Hampton & Amy Trentham-Dietz

  4. Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA

    Amy Trentham-Dietz

Authors
  1. V. Paul Doria-Rose
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  2. Polly A. Newcomb
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  3. Libby M. Morimoto
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  4. John M. Hampton
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  5. Amy Trentham-Dietz
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to V. Paul Doria-Rose.

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Grant Support: Supported in part by the Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation, grant CA47147 from the National Institutes of Health, and American Cancer Society grant SIG-15.

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Doria-Rose, V.P., Newcomb, P.A., Morimoto, L.M. et al. Body Mass Index and the Risk of Death Following the Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer in Postmenopausal Women (United States). Cancer Causes Control 17, 63–70 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-005-0360-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-005-0360-0

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