It is estimated that approximately 20,000 women in the United States develop ovarian cancer each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The CDC also reports that ovarian cancer ranks as the fifth leading cause of cancerous deaths for women. A variety of factors, including obesity, contribute to ovarian cancer. You can determine whether you are obese by calculating your body mass index, or BMI.
Ovarian Cancer
Cancer is always named after the name of the body part where the disease originated from. When cancer develops in your ovaries, it is called ovarian cancer. Cancer is the medical term used to describe how cells grow abnormally, or out of control. The sooner ovarian cancer is detected, the better the success rate is for destroying the cancer. The CDC reports that 90 percent of women who have ovarian cancer are 40 years of age or older.
Risks
There is no one specific cause of ovarian cancer. A variety and combination of certain conditions may cause or lead to ovarian cancer. You may have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer if you have a body mass index greater than 25, a family history of ovarian cancer, were never pregnant, had any type of cancer previously, underwent hormone therapy replacement for menopause or are over 40 years of age. If you have more than one risk factor for developing ovarian cancer, your chance of developing it becomes even higher.
About BMI
Not only can your BMI influence your risk of developing ovarian cancer, but it can also affect the outcome. Those who have a BMI between 25 and 29 are overweight and have a significant risk of developing ovarian cancer. If you have a BMI greater than 30, meaning you are obese, your chances of developing ovarian cancer greatly increase. Those who are obese have a higher fatality rate than those who are not when it comes to ovarian cancer.
Calculating Your BMI
You can use online charts and calculators to calculate your BMI, or you can calculate it on your own. The standard formula used to calculate BMI involves kilograms instead of pounds. You can convert your weight by multiplying it by 703. The formula uses your weight in pounds. For example, if you are 5-feet-tall, or 60 inches, and weigh 120 lbs., the equation would become 60 times 60, which would give you 3,600. You now divide 84,360 by 3,600, which would give you a BMI of 23.43, well within a healthy range.
References
- Centers For Disease Control: Gynecological Cancers- Ovarian Cancer
- American Cancer Society: Body Weight and Cancer Risk
- "John Hopkins Patients' Guide to Ovarian Cancer"; Ritu Salani and Robert E. Bristow; 2009
