Cancer Digest

Obesity increases risk of uterine cancer

MEDICAL NEWS TODAY – Mar. 25, 2014 – Obese women reduced their risk of uterine cancer by 71 percent following bariatric surgery that resulted in a dramatic weight loss and 81 percent if normal weight is maintained. Analyzing data from more than 7 million patients compiled by a consortium of university health systems, researchers at the University of California, San Diego found that a woman with a BMI of 40 has approximately eight times greater risk of endometrial cancer compared to women with a BMI of 25. Their findings suggest that bariatric surgery may be useful for heading off endometrial cancer in certain patients. They published the study in the April issue of Gynecologic Oncology. 

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FDA panel not impressed with one colon cancer test, more favorable to another

CBS-DC NEWS – Mar. 24, 2014 – An FDA advisory panel was not impressed with the Epi proColon genetic test that has been approved in Europe and Argentina. In the manufacturer's key study involving more than 1,500 participants (including 44 with cancer confirmed by colonoscopy), the test detected 68 percent of the cancers, but only correctly ruled out cancer 79 percent of the time, in other words it had a high false-positive rate. The panel noted that this specificity value completely failed to meet the prespecified target of 85 percent. The panel also favorably reviewed a similar test, called Cologuard, by Exact Sciences, that uses a DNA marker to detect cancer. In a study of 10,000 people, the test correctly detected 92.3 percent of cancers, and correctly ruled out cancer 84 percent of the time. The panel is expected to recommend the Cologuard test for approval with conditions for additional research following marketing of the test.

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