Women
Beware: Sugary Beverages may Increase Risk of Endometrial Cancer
Here is a new risk for
cancer of the uterus for women that come from too many sugary drinks.
Intense fears of being hit
with gynecological cancers leads women to search aggressively for manners in
which to prevent cancer. Information dealing with how women many be able to
prevent cancer is always welcomed. News that nutrition can effect the risks for
cancer has generated a great deal of interest in eating better. A recent report
that sugary beverages may increase the risk for endometrial cancer is therefore
of great significance.
Higher intake of sugar
sweetened soft drinks is associated with an increased risk of type I, but not
type II, endometrial cancer, according to a research report in the journal
Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. Prior to this research
sugar-sweetened beverage intake was found to be associated with an increased
risk of obesity and type II diabetes. However, any association between
consumption of sugary beverages and endometrial cancer was not clear.
Endometrial cancer is the
most common tumor which is found in the female reproductive system, writes
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. It has been estimated by the American
Cancer Society that greater than 40,100 women are diagnosed with this cancer
every year in the United States. During a lifetime approximately one in 41
women will develop endometrial cancer.
Prior to menopause the
ovaries of women generally produce two primary types of hormones: estrogen and
progesterone. Endometrial cell growth is promoted by estrogen. Endometrial cell
growth is inhibited by progesterone. Endometrial cancer has been observed to
occur more often in women who have high circulating levels of estrogen and low
levels of progesterone. Factors which are associated with increased exposure to
estrogen over time may lead to an increased risk of endometrial cancer.
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The primary risk factors for
endometrial cancer are:
1: Obesity, particularly
being greater than 50 pounds overweight
2: Early menstruation,
periods starting before age 12
3: Late menopause, after age
52
4: Never having given birth
or a history of infertility
5: Ovarian diseases, such as
polycystic ovaries
6: Tamoxifen use
Further considerations about
risk factors for endometrial cancer are shared in an article by EmaxhHealth
reporter Deborah Mitchell.
Women suffering from
endometrial cancer generally complain of postmenopausal bleeding or irregular
vaginal bleeding. About 33 percent of women who experience vaginal bleeding
after menopause are found to have endometrial cancer. A large percent of
endometrial cancers are found in very early stages because of abnormal uterine
bleeding. The discharge which s associated with endometrial cancer is often
pink, watery, or white instead of red. Clearly, any abnormal vaginal bleeding
should be immediately checked out by a physician.
Other symptoms which are
often associated with endometrial cancer include:
1: Difficult or painful
urination or pain during intercourse.
2: Pelvic pain and
experience
3: Unexplained weight loss
Options for treating
endometrial cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and
chemotherapy. Natural interventions, such as exercise, good nutrition, and
adequate rest and sleep certainly may help improve the prognosis of endometrial
cancer.
In a review of this study by
researchers at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, MedPage
Today writes that the most common type of endometrial cancer was observed about
80 percent more often in postmenopausal women who regularly drank
sugar-sweetened drinks in comparison with women who did not consume these
drinks.
Furthermore, the prevalence
of estrogen-dependent endometrial cancer was seen to increase in a steady
manner and and significantly with increased weekly consumption of
sugar-sweetened drinks. The hazard was increased by 78 percent among women who
consumed four or more servings a week. The same association was not found with
the less common no hormonal endometrial cancer.
The researchers stated,
"We found that higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages was
associated with higher risk of estrogen-dependent type I endometrial cancer,
regardless of body mass index, physical activity, a history of diabetes, and
cigarette smoking." Higher risk of type I endometrial cancer was found in
association with higher consumption of sugars. The risk of estrogen-independent
type II endometrial cancer was not found to be associated with consumption
levels of sugar sweetened beverages and sugars.
A possible explanation for
these findings has been the rise on prevalence of obesity found with the rise
in consumption of sugar-containing drink in the U. S. This may explain the
association of sugary drinks with endometrial cancer, which occurs
disproportionately more often in obese women.
Obesity has been found to be
associated with about 50 percent of type I endometrial cancers in developed
nations. An association has been found in epidemiologic studies between higher
consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and higher risk of obesity and type 2
diabetes. This all highlights the likelihood of a biologic explanation for
sugar-sweetened drink consumption being a contributing factor in the
development of endometrial cancer.
In this study factors which
were found to be associated with endometrial cancer were:
1: Older age
2: Higher BMI
3: Higher waist-hip ratio
4: History of diabetes
5: Early menarche
6: Delayed menopause
7: Any estrogen therapy
A dose-dependent association
between increasing consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks, excluding fruit
juices, and development of type I endometrial cancer, was found. Women who had
the highest consumption of sugared beverages had a 72 percent increased risk of
developing type I endometrial cancer in comparison with women with the lowest
consumption of sugary drinks. There was no association found between consumption
of sugar-free drinks and endometrial cancer risk.
There was also no
association found with consumption of sweets and baked goods. There was a trend
seen towards increased risk of endometrial cancer with increasing consumption
of sucrose and glucose. The finding of an association between drinking
sugar-sweetened drinks and the development of endometrial cancer was not
surprising due to the cancer's association with obesity.
However, the lack of
association found between sugary foods and endometrial cancer was puzzling, and
warrants further investigation.
An interesting consideration
for lowering the risk of endometrial cancer is raised by EmaxHealth reporter
Robin Wulffson, MD in an article which reviews an association between reducing
uterine cancer risk and drinking coffee.
It has been my experience
that women generally live in great fear of being hit with gynecological
cancers. There is often a sense of panic and urgency experienced with any
episodes of irregular menstrual bleeding, which certainly warrants immediate
medical attention. Findings that increased consumption of sugary drinks and
obesity are associated with an increased risk for endometrial cancer should be
shared with patients. It is my professional opinion that counseling women about
these facts may have a dramatic impact on the prevalence of endometrial cancer
and on outcomes in patients afflicted with this illness.
By Harold Mandel
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide
medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily
reflect those of Eagle Group or its staff.
