How does Obesity Affect Cancer Survivorship?
obesity changes both cancer and its treatment outcomes
Research indicates that obesity may worsen several aspects of cancer survivorship, including quality of life, cancer recurrence, cancer progression, and prognosis.
For example, obesity is associated with increased risks of treatment-related lymphedema in breast cancer survivors and incontinence in prostate cancer survivors treated with radical prostatectomy. It may also be linked to an increased risk of recurrence.
It is the excess fat (extra-abdominal adiposity) and low muscle at the time of diagnosis that may be associated with poor treatment outcomes. Obesity influences treatment tolerance. There are more treatment-related complications, like poorer wound healing after surgery.
