Blame the figure-hugging lifestyle media which push down impossible body-size standards down the throats of modern women - a distressing habit that's resulting in poor self-esteem, embarrassment and unwanted weight loss advice among these women (even from the ever-trusted doctors). Such behavior is only steering these overweight women away from regular breast cancer screening, hence raising their risk of developing the disease.
The research team led by Nisa Maruthur from The John Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, USA has shown that obese women are 20 percent less likely to have had a recent mammography than normal weight women, especially among the white population.
Breast Cancer - Causes, Risks, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Staging, Treatment, Prevention & Prognosis
Breast cancer is a cancer that affects the breasts or mammary glands. Early detection and lifestyle changes help in controlling breast cancer.
Breast cancer is a cancer that affects the breasts or mammary glands. Early detection and lifestyle changes help in controlling breast cancer.
It could be delay in taking up medical care because of poor self-esteem and body image, embarrassment, a perceived lack of respect from their health care providers and unwanted weight loss advice.
The authors also suggest that there are racial differences in obesity-related body image, which may explain the difference in take-up of mammography between white and black women.
About Cancer in Women
Cancer is one of the frequently talked about and most feared disease that falls under the genre of lifestyle diseases that have evolved, rather rapidly, in the past two decades.
Cancer is one of the frequently talked about and most feared disease that falls under the genre of lifestyle diseases that have evolved, rather rapidly, in the past two decades.
"The main implication of our study is that a lack of routine screening mammography may explain some of the increased breast cancer mortality in obese postmenopausal women.
Advertisement
Breast Self Examination
Slides and animation of Breast Self Examination for early detection of breast cancer lumps in women
Slides and animation of Breast Self Examination for early detection of breast cancer lumps in women
The study appears in Springer's Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Advertisement
Stress may Make Cancer Cells Resist Treatment
Stress hormone epinephrine causes changes in prostate and breast cancer cells that may make them resistant to cell death.
Stress hormone epinephrine causes changes in prostate and breast cancer cells that may make them resistant to cell death.
TAN/L
