Body size in relation to cancer of the uterine corpus in 1 million Norwegian women

A positive association between overweight/obesity and endometrial cancer has been observed. It has been hypothesized that obesity is mostly associated with a subtype described as estrogen‐dependent (Type I tumors), constituting about 80% of the endometrial tumors. Few epidemiologic studies have, however, analyzed different histological subtypes separately. The present study aimed at exploring the relations between body size and histological subtypes of cancer of the uterine corpus. Height and weight were measured in over 1 million Norwegian women aged 20–74 during 1963–2001. During follow‐up, 9,227 cancers of the uterine corpus were diagnosed. The tumors were classified as Type I tumors (mostly endometrial adenocarcinomas with subgroups), Type II tumors (papillary, serous, and clear cell adenocarcinomas and some poorly differentiated carcinomas), sarcomas, and mixed tumors. Relative risks (RRs) of cancer of the uterine corpus were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression. Compared with women with normal BMI, overweight and obese women had an overall RR of cancer of the uterine corpus of 1.36 (95% CI: 1.29–1.42) and 2.51 (95% CI: 2.83–2.66). The increase in risk was most pronounced for Type I tumors, but was also seen for Type II tumors, sarcomas and mixed tumors. The overall RR of corpus uteri cancer associated with a 10‐cm increase in height was 1.09 (95% CI: 1.05–1.13), and was mostly observed for Type I tumors. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

[1]  P. Lund-Larsen,et al.  The cardiovascular disease study in Norwegian counties. Background and organization. , 1979, Acta medica Scandinavica. Supplementum.

[2]  D. Trichopoulos,et al.  Leptin and Body Mass Index in Relation to Endometrial Cancer Risk , 2002, Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism.

[3]  A. Partin,et al.  Re: “Obesity and hormone‐dependent tumors: cohort and co‐twin control studies based on the Swedish twin registry” , 2003 .

[4]  J. V. Bokhman.  Two pathogenetic types of endometrial carcinoma. , 1983, Gynecologic oncology.

[5]  S. Tretli,et al.  Height and weight in relation to uterine corpus cancer morbidity and mortality. A follow-up study of 570,000 women in Norway. , 1990, International journal of cancer.

[6]  Patrick Neven,et al.  Endometrial cancer. , 2005, Lancet.

[7]  Hj Norussis,et al.  SPSS for Windows , 1993 .

[8]  S. Tretli,et al.  Height and weight in relation to uterine corpus cancer in norway morbidity and mortality. A follow‐up study of 570,000 women in Norway , 1990 .

[9]  A. Wolk,et al.  Obesity and hormone‐dependent tumors: Cohort and co‐twin control studies based on the Swedish Twin Registry , 2003 .

[10]  A. Jemal,et al.  Global cancer statistics , 2011, CA: a cancer journal for clinicians.

[11]  Kishore Shetty,et al.  Hormone replacement therapy , 2002, BMJ : British Medical Journal.

[12]  K Straif,et al.  Tobacco smoking and cancer: a brief review of recent epidemiological evidence. , 2004, Lung cancer.

[13]  F. Bray,et al.  Endometrial Cancer Incidence Trends in Europe: Underlying Determinants and Prospects for Prevention , 2005, Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention.

[14]  A. Eggen,et al.  Hormone replacement therapy and incidence of hormone‐dependent cancers in the Norwegian Women and Cancer study , 2004, International journal of cancer.

[15]  A. Eggen,et al.  Hormone replacement therapy in Norwegian women, 1996-1997. , 2001, Maturitas.

[16]  T. Bjørge,et al.  [Use of oral contraceptives and risk of cancer]. , 2002, Tidsskrift for den Norske laegeforening : tidsskrift for praktisk medicin, ny raekke.

[17]  S. Tretli,et al.  Cutaneous malignant melanoma: Association with height, weight and body‐surface area. A prospective study in Norway , 1993, International journal of cancer.

[18]  H. Adami,et al.  Overweight as an avoidable cause of cancer in Europe , 2001, International journal of cancer.

[19]  R. Goldbohm,et al.  Anthropometry, physical activity, and endometrial cancer risk: results from the Netherlands Cohort Study. , 2004, Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

[20]  C. Mantzoros,et al.  Circulating adiponectin and endometrial cancer risk. , 2004, The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism.

[21]  P. Urdal,et al.  Serum lipids in postmenopausal or perimenopausal women using estrogen alone, estrogen with levonorgestrel, or estrogen with norethisterone, compared with nonusers: results from a cross-sectional study in two Norwegian counties 1985-1988. , 1998, Journal of clinical epidemiology.

[22]  D. Gunnell,et al.  Height, leg length, and cancer risk: a systematic review. , 2001, Epidemiologic reviews.

[23]  G. Fleming,et al.  Rare uterine cancers. , 2005, The Lancet. Oncology.

[24]  V. Cogliano.  International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) , 2018, The Grants Register 2019.

[25]  G. Emons,et al.  Hormonal interactions in endometrial cancer. , 2000, Endocrine-related cancer.

[26]  H. Meyer,et al.  Development of body weight in the Norwegian population. , 2005, Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids.

[27]  J. Ferlay,et al.  Global Cancer Statistics, 2002 , 2005, CA: a cancer journal for clinicians.

[28]  Harri Vainio,et al.  Overweight, obesity, and cancer risk. , 2002, The Lancet. Oncology.

[29]  M. Haluzík,et al.  Adipocytokines and cancer. , 2006, Physiological research.

[30]  T. Bjørge,et al.  Height and Body Mass Index in Relation to Esophageal Cancer; 23-year Follow-up of Two Million Norwegian Men and Women , 2004, Cancer Causes & Control.

[31]  K. Bjartveit,et al.  The cardiovascular disease study in Norwegian counties. Results from first screening. , 1983, Acta medica Scandinavica. Supplementum.

[32]  R. Kaaks,et al.  Obesity , Endogenous Hormones , and Endometrial Cancer Risk : A Synthetic Review 1 , 2002 .

[33]  M. Sherman.  Theories of Endometrial Carcinogenesis: A Multidisciplinary Approach , 2000, Modern Pathology.

[34]  M. Kumle,et al.  [Use of oral contraceptives and risk of cancer, a cohort study]. , 2003, Tidsskrift for den Norske laegeforening : tidsskrift for praktisk medicin, ny raekke.