Perceptions of obesity and cancer risk in female bariatric surgery candidates: Highlighting the need for physician action for unsuspectingly obese and high risk patients

Prevalence of endometrial cancer symptoms among overweight and obese women presenting to a multidisciplinary weight management center

“…The prevalence of abnormal menstrual symptoms in this study is consistent with data from the bariatric surgery literature where as many as 51% of morbidly obese women have menstrual dysfunction ( Henretta et al, 2014 ). In contrast, 25% of women in the general population report heavy menstrual bleeding ( Fraser et al, 2015 ).…”

“…Low levels of awareness of EH/EC symptoms and low perceived risk may contribute to the low reporting of symptoms. In a study of women presenting for bariatric surgery, half perceived their personal risk of developing uterine cancer as “not likely” or “not possible” ( Henretta et al, 2014 ). However, up to 14% of asymptomatic morbidly obese women have undiagnosed EH/EC ( MacKintosh et al, 2019 ).…”

“…Many obese women do not perceive themselves to be at risk of EH/EC or recognize their menstrual symptoms as abnormal ( MacKintosh et al, 2019 , Henretta et al, 2014 ). Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is common in obese women, but often not discussed with providers ( Henretta et al, 2014 , Fraser et al, 2015 ). While in postmenopausal women bleeding always warrants work-up, in premenopausal women the significance of AUB is less clear.…”

Perceived risk of colorectal and breast cancers among women who are overweight or with obesity

“…Other researchers have reported a dose-response trend where increased weight, overweight, and obesity have been positively correlated with increased perceived cancer risk (Bittner Fagan et al, 2012; Silverman et al, 2017; Consedine et al, 2004). Despite published literature, many patients who are overweight or have obesity do not acknowledge their high weight status and may be unaware of their elevated risk (Rosenthal et al, 2017, Henretta et al, 2014, Bittner Fagan et al, 2012, Leite-Pereira et al, 2011, Messina et al, 2012). Rosenthal et al (2017) reported that 47% of a study sample with patients who have obesity considered themselves only overweight rather than obese.…”

“…Rosenthal et al (2017) reported that 47% of a study sample with patients who have obesity considered themselves only overweight rather than obese. Henretta et al, 2014 reported that although nearly 50% of bariatric surgery candidates in their study responded that obesity increased the risk of breast, cervical, or CRC, 35–45% reported their personal likelihood of developing cancer not likely or not possible (Henretta et al, 2014). Messina et al (2012) reported that obese women were less aware than normal weight women that obesity increased risk for CRC (OR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3–0.9), while other estimates suggest only 52% of Americans are aware of the obesity-cancer link (AICR).…”