Obesity linked to soaring cases of potentially fatal womb cancer

Rising levels of obesity are being linked to a soaring number of women being diagnosed with womb (uterine) cancer.

Alarmingly, past studies have led researchers to previously predict that if trends continues, up to 48% of men and 43% of women in the UK could be obese by 2030.

In statistics published on Wednesday, Cancer Research have now warned that ever-increasing levels of obesity amongst UK women are helping to fuel the 54% rise in womb cancer rates within the last 20 years.


In the early 1990s, it was calculated that an estimated 19 women in every 100,000 developed the potentially deadly disease, but by 2011-13 the figure had jumped to around 29 women in every 100,000 – and obesity has been the probable primary factor.

About 20 years ago, there were approximately 4,800 new cases of womb cancer diagnosed each year in the UK, resulting in 1,500 deaths. However, this has now shot up to 9,000 women being diagnosed with the disease, and around 2,000 deaths.

Professor Jonathan Ledermann, director of the Cancer Research UK and UCL Cancer Trials Centre, said: ‘It’s worrying that womb cancer cases are going up so sharply.

“We don’t know all the reasons why. But we do know that about a third of cases are linked to being overweight so it’s no surprise to see the increases in womb cancer cases echo rising obesity levels.
“The good news is that thanks to research and improved treatments, survival has improved.

“In the 1970s, almost 6 in 10 women diagnosed with the disease survived for at least 10 years. Now almost 8 in 10 women survive.

“But we need more research to understand the biology of the disease better and to know more about how it is caused so that we can improve the treatment of these women as well as preventing more cases.”

It was only back in January that Cancer Research UK warned that being overweight or obese could be responsible for nearly 700,000 extra people developing cancer in the next 20 years.

Obesity is consistently linked to a whole range of serious health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and many more. Moreover, at least 10 types of cancer can be caused by extra weight.

The 10 cancers caused by obesity are cancers of the bowel, breast, gallbladder, kidney, liver, oesophagus, ovarian, pancreas and prostate.

Cancer Research UK state that it is now fully clear exactly how being overweight or obese causes cancer to develop, but it is believed to be related to the excess fat resulting in the hormones and growth factor molecules encouraging cells to divide. This then causes tumours to form.

Less major factors linked to the risk of developing cancer of the womb include age, genetics, lack of exercise and if the person is on hormone replacement therarpy (HRT).

If womb cancer is spotted at an early stage it can be treated with a hysterectomy. Symptoms of the disease can include abnormal vaginal bleeding (particularly in post-menopausal women), blood in the urine and abdominal pain.

Schools should provide free morning after pills and condoms, says NICE

New guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has called for schools to offer free morning after pills and condoms to teenage girls to reduce teenage pregnancy rates. NICE even recommended those under the legal age of consent should be provided with contraception.

The guidance aims for more accessible emergency contraception for under-25s; not just contraceptive pills and condoms but also the IUD (intrauterine device, or coil).

The new plans will involve qualified nurses, including school nurses, and pharmacists being able to offer free-of-charge emergency contraceptive pills in accordance with patient group directions (PGDs).

Under PGDs, health workers are able to give medicine directly to the patient without a prescription being required.

Emergency contraceptive pills include Levonelle 1500, which if taken within 72 hours (3 days) of sexual intercourse, will usually prevent pregnancy. Levonelle 1500 can be taken following unprotected sex or if a condom has accidentally come off or split and is available right now from Medical Specialists™ Pharmacy for just £22.50.

Alternatively, women can take ellaOne within 120 hours (5 days) and an IUD may be inserted up to five days following unprotected sex.

The guidance called for young women to be ‘encouraged to consider and choose a suitable form of contraception for their future needs’.

NICE also say that in accordance with best practice guidance, health professionals that are providing emergency contraception should understand they are able to give it to under-16s even without the knowledge or consent of the child’s parent(s).

“Health professionals, including pharmacists, who are unwilling (or unable) to provide emergency contraception should give young women details of other local services where they can be seen urgently”, the guidance states.

Professor Mike Kelly, director of the centre for public health at NICE, said: “It is really important that sexual health services offering information and advice can be found in places where young people have access to them. Evidence clearly shows that the availability of contraception reduces the rate of unwanted pregnancies. Local planners and providers of services must make sure that what they offer is right for their area.”

He added: “Young people often find contraceptive services and advice difficult to locate. This can be for a number of reasons. They may not know where services are, who provides them or when they are open. They can also be wrongly worried that information they give may not be treated confidentially. For that reason, this guidance focuses on ensuring they receive culturally sensitive, confidential, non-judgmental and empathic advice and support tailored to their individual needs.”

Last month saw the Office for National Statistics release figures showing UK pregnancy rates amongst under-18s is at its lowest since 1969 at 27.9% per 1,000 women aged 15 to 17.

It seems things are improving steadily with the number of pregnancies within under-18s dropping to 27,834 in 2012 from 31,051 in 2011, a decrease of around 10%. Meanwhile, 5,432 under-16s became pregnant in 2012, compared with 5,991 in 2011, a decrease of 9.3%.