Obesity and Uterine Cancer (Essay Sample)

Obesity and uterine cancer
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ABSTRACT
The paper encompasses the pathogenesis of obesity to uterine cancers, the extent of the contribution of obesity to endometrial cancer, prevention of obesity and the methods of early detection of uterine cancers. The paper also outlines the different types of uterine cancers which are endometrial cancer and the sarcoma with endometrial cancers being the most common. Endogenous metabolism of hormones and estrogen mitogenic effects is the main link to endometrial cancer development. Observed nutrition and other lifestyle changes such as physical activity reduces obesity and thus the risk of endometrial cancers. Therefore, there is the need for a healthy eating plan and exercise. There is no screening method for uterine cancers but endometrial biopsy is used to confirm the diagnosis accompanied by other imaging tests such as the CT scan and MRI.
Risk of obesity in uterine cancers
Uterine cancer is rated the fourth most common cancer in females and the most prevalent cancer of the female reproductive organs. Uterine cancer is also called the cancer of the womb and is a type of cancer that emerges from the tissues of the endometrium and myometrium. About 19 of 20 uterine cancers is the endometrial cancers, and the other 5% constitutes the cancers of the outer muscular lining called uterine sarcomas (Oliva, 2009). Sarcomas are more aggressive and spread faster compared to the endometrial cancers. The cancer of the womb occurs especially in menopausal women though it also occurs in the younger women with the potential risk factors.
Endometrial cancers include the adenocarcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, serous carcinoma and the clear cell carcinoma. Uterine sarcoma develops in the muscle of the uterus (myometrium) and the connective tissue that support the uterus. Endometrial stromal sarcoma, Mullerian sarcoma of carcinosarcoma and leiomyosarcoma are examples of uterine sarcoma. The exact cause of uterine cancers is not known though there are factors that increase the risk of developing the cancers. The risk factors include obesity (overweight), age, endometrial hyperplasia, high blood pressure, diabetes, estrogen hormone replacements and family history of ovarian, bowel and endometrial cancers. Obesity is a high-risk factor associated with the endometrial cancers.
Pathogenesis
According to 2014 cancer progress report from American Association of Cancer Research, Obesity contributes to 25% incidence rates of cancer and is the second following tobacco. Obesity is described in individuals with a BMI of over 30. The excessive fats that obese and overweight individuals contain increases the production of estrogen. Estrogen stimulates the endometrial lining to grow and develop. The continuous stimulation of the endometrium results in abnormal cell growth. Obese people also have increased levels of insulin and insulin growth factors (IGF) in the blood circulation due to reduced levels of insulin binding globulins (In Rajaram, 2015). The condition is referred to as the hyperinsulinemia or insulin resistance. Elevated insulin, insulin growth factors, and epidermal growth factors stimulate the hyperactive proliferation of endometrium thus increasing the risk of development of primary endometrial tumors.
Obese and overweight individuals have many fat cells. Fat cells have the potential to secrete the inflammatory factors called the adipokines that include the leptin and adiponectin hormones. Adipokines have the ability to stimulate or inhibit cell proliferation. Leptin is more abundant in obese and stimulates cell growth whereas adiponectin is less abundant and have the antiproliferative effects. The consolidated impact of the two hormones is exaggerated cell proliferation effects. The microenvironment created by leptin-adiponectin hormones is favorable for tumor cell aggressiveness. Adipocytes also express the enzyme aromatase that converts ovarian androgens into estrogen that induces the endometrial proliferation (In Rajaram, 2015).
Other possible mechanisms include the direct effects and the indirect effects that fat cell have towards other tumor growth regulator cells such as the mammalian target of rifampicin. People with obesity often have sub-acute and low levels of unsolved inflammation. The inflammation has been identified in the development and progression of cancer. Obesity that is the excessive fat accumulation impairs the immune system. The altered immune response may explain the development of cancers since the body immune system cannot fight the abnormal cells.
Extent of contribution of obesity to uterine cancers
Evidence suggests that nutrition and lifestyle are the primary contributing factor in uterine cancers. Epidemiological studies indicate that ≥40% of the incidence of endometrial cancer is attributed to excess body weight. An increased proportion of incidence rate is linked to lack of physical activity. The alterations in the metabolism of the endogenous hormones provide the main links to endometrial cancer and excessive body weight and physical inactivity. Several epidemiological studies indicate an increased endometrial cancers among the pre and postmenopausal women with high levels of plasma androstenedione and testosterone and in menopausal women with increased estrone and estradiol. The evidence is explained by the estrogen hypothesis that explains that endometrial cancer develops as a result of mitogenic effects of the estrogen hormones (Oliva, 2009).
Research has shown that obesity contributes to 3% of endometrial cancers in the United States. The American Cancer Society, 2015 estimates in the United States, shows that there are about 54,870 new endometrial cases, and about 10,170 women will die because of uterine cancers. The cancer is more common in whites, but most blacks die from it. Obesity increases the chances of endometrial cancer development by two to three folds. Women who are 50 pounds overweight have ten times likelihood of getting endometrial cancer. Obesity is however linked to other cancers such as breast, ovarian and colorectal cancers. Therefore, it is important to monitor weight and engage in the rigorous physical activity. Weight check and other lifestyle changes need to be observed to reduce the risk of contacting the endometrial cancers. Research has indicated substantial weight loss such as the weight loss surgery resulting in lower rates of cancers, diabetes, heart disease and consequently the mortality rates (In Rajaram, 2015).
Prevention of obesity
A healthy lifestyle is a primary strategy to prevent overweight and obesity. Many unhealthy lifestyle starts at childhood and parent and families need to ensure that their children engage in the healthy way of life. Nutrition and physical aggressiveness are necessary to combat obesity. First, one need to make a healthy eating plan. A healthy eating plan comprises of monitoring each food constituents and the calories that the body is subjected. The need to make healthy food choices, control the calorie levels putting into ac...