Cancer survivors with overweight and obesity showed a 13.9% increased risk of developing a second cancer and a 33.2% increased risk of developing a second cancer related to obesity, according to a study published Sept. 17 in JAMA Open Network.
Researchers from the American Cancer Society analyzed data from 26,894 cancer survivors in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition study. Participants were surveyed starting in 1992 with follow-up occurring through 2017. Of all participants, 42% were overweight and 17.2% were obese at the time of their first cancer diagnosis.
The study compared outcomes for cancer survivors who were overweight and obese with cancer survivors whose BMI was in the normal range at the time of diagnosis.
The comparison found that survivors with overweight had a 15% increased risk for a second diagnosis of any cancer and a 40% increased risk for a second diagnosis of obesity-related cancers.
In the same comparison, survivors with obesity had a 34% increased risk for a second diagnosis of any cancer and a 78% increased risk for a second diagnosis of obesity-related cancers.