Assessing the feasibility of collecting body height, weight and obesity in a cancer registry
Excess body weight influences the development and outcomes of many cancers. For example, recent epidemiologic research has linked excess body weight to a higher risk for cancers of the breast, cervix, endometrium, uterus, ovary, colon, prostate, esophagus and kidney. Studies also have shown that a higher Body Mass Index (a measure that uses a person's weight and height to gauge total body fat) at the time of diagnosis may impact survival following cancer, particularly for breast and colorectal cancer patients. Although the cancer registry does not currently collect measures of body size, this information may be determined from a person's height and weight, which is usually recorded during a medical visit. The purpose of this study was to 1) evaluate the completeness of medical records regarding information about body height and weight for cancer patients, and 2) assess whether it was feasible to collect these important data as part of routine cancer monitoring. Collecting this information would enhance the usefulness of population-based cancer registry data for monitoring and understanding how body size influences patterns in cancer diagnoses and outcomes. This research was particularly timely in light of the increasing number of overweight and obese Americans.
NCCC Principal Investigator: Theresa Keegan, Ph.D.
Collaborators: Gem Le, M.H.S., and Dee West, Ph.D.
Funding Source: National Cancer Institute, 2004-2005
Publications: Keegan THM, Le GM, McClure LA, Glaser SL. Availability and utility of body mass index for population-based cancer surveillance. Submitted for publication, 2007.
|
