Unexplained Weight Loss Is Linked to Cancer

People who lose a significant amount of weight without dieting, exercise, or other lifestyle changes may also be at higher risk of some cancers, according to researchers who say a sudden drop may be an early indicator of the disease. Those who spontaneously shed more than 10% of their body weight developed cancer at a rate of about 1,362 per 100,000 over a 12-month period, according to a study released Tuesday by the Journal of the American Medical Association, while the rate of diagnosis among people who hadn’t recently lost weight without explanation was 869 per 100,000. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] While often seen as a positive step toward better health, a large drop in weight sometimes precedes a cancer diagnosis. Treating weight as an important vital sign may help doctors spot cancer earlier, when it’s more likely to be cured with available treatments.   “Unexplained weight loss is where we say you should tell your doctor,” said Brian Wolpin, a medical oncologist at the Harvard-affiliated Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and co-senior author of the study. It’s hoped to “help primary care physicians have a better sense of the spectrum of cancers that may be present in someone who has this unintentional weight loss.”  Tumors of the esophagus, stomach, and pancreas were among the most elevated among people who had recently shed pounds without trying. This may be related to trouble or pain s...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized bloomberg wire healthscienceclimate Source Type: news