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Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 "The median age of cancer diagnosis was 64 years for those with normal [body-mass index], but was 61 years for overweight patients and 59 years for obese patients," Li said.
The study also found that obesity later in life -- especially within the year before a cancer diagnosis -- was associated with reduced overall survival time for people with pancreatic cancer, Li said.
"For example, the median survival time was 18 months for patients with normal body weights during the year prior to cancer diagnosis, but the median survival time was reduced to 13 months for overweight or obese patients," he said.
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Dr. Robert R. McWilliams, an oncologist at the Mayo Clinic and co-author of an accompanying journal editorial, said that if the findings are correct, overweight and obesity have a negative impact on all facets of pancreatic cancer.
"What's notable about this study is that higher BMI has implications throughout the course of pancreatic cancer -- from development to worsened survival," he said.
"This represents another negative impact of rising obesity in our country," McWilliams said.
And it is yet another reason, he said, to maintain a healthy weight, especially for those at higher risk for pancreatic cancer, such as people with a family history of the disease.
"In addition, something associated with obesity apparently drives pancreatic cancer," McWilliams said. "As a scientific community, we need to understand the underlying mechanism. Hopefully, this can lead to future treatment strategies."
More information
The American Cancer Society has more on pancreatic cancer.
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