Obesity linked with uterine cancer
Australia's obesity epidemic is being directly linked to an increasing number of young women being diagnosed with cancer of the uterus.
It is having a devastating effect on patient's ability to have children.
Surgeon Orla McNally sees firsthand the devastating impact uterine cancer is having on Australian women.
“For young women it’s a very serious diagnosis because often they're women who still want to have children,” she said.
Health experts say extra fat in the body produces more of the female hormone estrogen which stimulates the lining of the womb, but too much of it can eventually cause uterine cancer.
Last year, 2270 women were diagnosed and that figure is set to grow by 60 per cent to 3632 in the next 15 years.
Uterine cancer is the most commonly diagnosed gynaecological cancer in Australian women, with a full hysterectomy or removal of the uterus the most common treatment.
Post treatment, many patients are left infertile. Not only are they losing their womb so they can’t have children any more, but they're also going into an early menopause which can b e devastating.
The new figures were revealed at the launch of this year's "Girl’s Night In" campaign, where women enjoy a night at home with friends to help raise funds to fight cancer.
