An Akron doctor is exploring why American women who beat endometrial cancer still are at risk of premature death from other health problems.
The likely reason: Few endometrial cancer survivors eat a balanced diet, quit smoking and get enough exercise, according to new research by Dr. Vivian von Gruenigen, department chair of obstetrics and gynecology for Summa Health System.
Von Gruenigen presented her findings this month during the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ annual clinical meeting in San Francisco.
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Her research found only 1 percent of 120 endometrial cancer patients in the study followed all three of these recommendations for survivors from the American Cancer Society: Don’t smoke, eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day and participate in 150 minutes per week of moderate to strenuous physical activity.
About 22 percent didn’t follow any of the guidelines, von Gruenigen said.
”When you look at survivor groups across the country, those are the worst numbers,” she said.
Among the survivors studied, 43 percent had high blood pressure and 21 percent had diabetes, von Gruenigen said.
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Cheryl Powell, Akron Beacon Journal Website Cheryl Powell is a health reporter for The Akron Beacon Journal, the daily newspaper in Akron and a syndication partner of MedCity News.
More than 90 percent were found to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, she said.
”I think it’s an underserved cancer population,” she said.
Endometrial cancer forms in the tissues that line the uterus.
Each year, an estimated 42,160 U.S. women are diagnosed with endometrial cancer, making it the most common cancer of the female reproductive organs, according to the National Cancer Institute. About 7,780 patients die each year from the disease.
According to the National Cancer Institute, obese women have two to four times greater risk of developing the disease compared to women who maintain a healthy weight.
Endometrial cancer typically is found during its early stages when it’s curable, von Gruenigen said. But obesity and other factors put women at risk for cardiac and other health problems if not addressed.
”We as physicians, when we diagnose endometrial cancer, need to tell these ladies that this is a sentinel event in their health care and if they do not change their lifestyle, they have a significant risk of death within five years,” she said.
Von Gruenigen is pursuing national funding to conduct a multisite study to research the effectiveness of using physical therapists, nutritionists and psychologists to help endometrial cancer patients adopt healthier lifestyles.
”These women need support, and they need education,” she said.
Cheryl Powell is a health reporter for The Akron Beacon Journal, the daily newspaper in Akron and a syndication partner of MedCity News.
