In a harrowing revelation, a recent study conducted by University of Notre Dame researchers in collaboration with NeoGenomics Laboratories found that obesity significantly exacerbates the fatality risk of ovarian cancer.
The disease, often diagnosed at advanced stages, tragically claims the lives of less than one-third of patients within five years, making early detection and effective treatment essential.
The research, published in the Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research, exposes the dire consequences of obesity in ovarian cancer patients, revealing its association with an increased risk of developing the disease and a dismal chance of survival.
Ovarian cancer ranked as the third most prevalent gynaecological cancer in 2020 alone, causing approximately 200,000 recorded fatalities worldwide.
Led by M. Sharon Stack, the Ann F. Dunne and Elizabeth Riley Director of Notre Dame’s Harper Cancer Research Institute, and Anna Juncker-Jensen, senior scientist and director of scientific affairs at NeoGenomics, the study sought to unveil the underlying reasons behind the perilous link between obesity and ovarian cancer.
Analyzing cancer tumour samples from patients with varying Body Mass Index (BMI), the researchers made striking observations. In patients with a BMI exceeding 30, classified as obese according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a distinct pattern emerged in the type of immune cells surrounding cancerous tumours.
Specifically, they found a significant change in the populations of immune cells known as macrophages infiltrating the tumour, indicating more advanced cancer stages and poorer chances of survival.
Notably, the tumours in obese patients exhibited an alarming characteristic—increased presence of stiff, fibrous tissue. This fibrous tissue serves as a protective barrier for tumours, rendering them resistant to chemotherapy treatments.
The research team further validated their findings by studying ovarian cancer-bearing mice fed a high-fat diet, observing similar patterns in tumour development and severity.
Stack, also serving as the Kleiderer-Pezold Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Science at Notre Dame, stressed the urgency of these findings.
As obesity rates continue to soar worldwide, understanding the intricate relationship between obesity and ovarian tumour progression becomes critical in the search for innovative and effective therapies.
“Our data give a more detailed picture of how and why obesity may affect ovarian tumour progression and therapeutic responses to cancer,” said Stack.
“We are hopeful that these findings will lead to new strategies for targeted therapies that can improve outcomes for ovarian cancer patients.”
With ovarian cancer taking a devastating toll on lives, accounting for approximately 200,000 recorded fatalities worldwide in 2020, addressing the impact of obesity in this context becomes a pressing priority.
The study’s implications underscore the importance of further research and dedicated efforts in developing treatments tailored to the complexities of obesity-related ovarian cancer, aiming for improved patient outcomes and a brighter future for those affected.