Weight management

Suggested

2 studies · 1 recommendation

Last updated: February 25, 2026

Suggested2 studies

Maintaining healthy body weight reduces ovarian cancer risk and tumor aggressiveness

A large pooled cohort analysis of 1.3 million women from 21 prospective cohorts (4,584 invasive ovarian cancers) found that high BMI (≥35 vs. 20–<25 kg/m²) nearly doubled the risk of highly aggressive ovarian cancer (HR: 1.93; 95% CI [1.46–2.56]), with consistent results across histological subtypes. The IARC working group's consensus statement independently classified ovarian cancer as having sufficient evidence linking excess body fatness to increased risk, reporting a relative risk of 1.1 (95% CI, 1.1–1.2) for the highest BMI category. Mendelian randomization data support a causal relationship. Notably, among hormone-replacement therapy users, the association was absent. Across these 2 studies, avoiding excess weight emerges as a modifiable factor for lowering both ovarian cancer incidence and the likelihood of aggressive disease.

Evidence

Ovarian cancer risk factors by tumor aggressiveness: an analysis from the Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium

Authors: Adami, H-O, Arslan, AA, Bernstein, L, Black, A, Brinton, LA, Buring, J, Clendenen, TV, Fortner, RT, Fournier, A, Fraser, G, Gapstur, SM, Gaudet, MM, Giles, GG, Gram, IT, Hartge, P, Hoffman-Bolton, J, Idahl, A, Kaaks, R, Kirsh, VA, Knutsen, S, Koh, W-P, Lacey, JV, Lee, I-M, Lundin, E, Merritt, MA, Milne, RL, Onland-Moret, NC, Patel, AV, Peters, U, Poole, EM, Poynter, JN, Rinaldi, S, Robien, K, Rohan, T, Schairer, C, Schouten, LJ, Setiawan, VW, Sánchez, M-J, Tjonneland, A, Townsend, MK, Trabert, B, Travis, RC, Trichopoulou, A, Tworoger, SS, Van den Brandt, PA, Vineis, P, Visvanathan, K, Weiderpass, E, Wentzensen, NA, White, E, Wilkens, L, Wolk, A, Yang, HP, Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, A

Published: November 5, 2018

In a pooled analysis of 1.3 million women from 21 prospective cohorts with 4,584 invasive epithelial ovarian cancers, high BMI (≥35 vs. 20-<25 kg/m²) was associated with a 93% increased risk of highly aggressive ovarian cancer (HR: 1.93; 95% CI [1.46-2.56]). The heterogeneity test across aggressiveness categories was statistically significant (phet ≤0.04). Highly aggressive disease was defined as death within 1 year of diagnosis (n=864 cases). Results remained consistent within histotype-specific analyses, suggesting BMI influences tumor aggressiveness independent of histological subtype.

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Body fatness and cancer - viewpoint of the IARC working group

Authors: Anderson, Annie S., Baker, Jennifer L., Bianchini, Franca, Breda, João, Byers, Tim, Clearly, Margot P., Colditz, Graham, Di Cesare, Mariachiara, Gapstur, Susan M., Grosse, Yann, Gunter, Marc, Herbert, Ronald A., Hursting, Stephen D., Kaaks, Rudolf, Lauby-Secretan, Béatrice, Leitzmann, Michael, Ligibel, Jennifer, Loomis, Dana, Renehan, Andrew, Romieu, Isabelle, Scoccianti, Chiara, Shimokawa, Isao, Straif, Kurt, Thompson, Henry J., Ulrich, Cornelia M., Wade, Katlin, Weiderpass, Elisabete

Published: August 24, 2016

The IARC working group newly classified ovarian cancer as having sufficient evidence that absence of excess body fatness lowers cancer risk. A modest positive association was observed for epithelial ovarian cancer, with a relative risk of 1.1 (95% CI, 1.1–1.2) for the highest BMI category versus normal BMI. Mendelian randomization study results were consistent with these observational findings, supporting a causal relationship. Among women who had received hormone-replacement therapy, no association was observed for ovarian cancer and excess body fatness. The worldwide obesity prevalence in 2014 was estimated at 10.8% among men and 14.9% among women, with obesity-related cancer burden representing up to 9% of the total cancer burden among women in North America, Europe, and the Middle East.

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