Cancer survivors who are overweight or obese are at higher risk for developing secondary cancers, urging the need for focused weight management strategies in survivorship care plans. Study: Excess Body Weight and the Risk of Second Primary Cancers Among Cancer Survivors . Image Credit: PeopleImages.
com / Yuri A / Shutterstock.com A recent study published in JAMA Network Open reveals that adults who were overweight or obese at the time of their first cancer diagnosis are more likely to develop a second primary cancer, particularly an obesity-related cancer. What causes secondary cancers in cancer survivors? Although the population of cancer survivors has grown significantly, survivors face increased risks, including a higher likelihood of developing second primary cancers.
These subsequent cancers account for about 20% of all new cancer diagnoses annually and are a leading cause of illness and mortality among survivors. While treatment and genetics are known contributors to second cancers in childhood cancer survivors, less is understood about adult cancer survivors. Only a small percentage of second cancers in adults can be attributed to radiotherapy; therefore, lifestyle factors, environmental exposures, and genetics likely have an important role in this association.
Prior studies, particularly registry-based analyses, suggest an association between obesity-related cancers and increased risk of second cancers. However, these studies lack the consideration of risk factors, co.