Nagle CM, et al. - Using a cohort of 1359 Australian women diagnosed with incident endometrial cancer (EC), researchers studied the link between lifestyle factors and subsequent all-cause, cancer-specific and non-cancer related survival. In this patient population, diabetes, other co-morbidities and obesity were considered important as negative predictors of mortality but the risks varied for cancer-specific and non-cancer related mortality.

Methods

• At recruitment, interview was performed in a cohort of 1359 Australian women diagnosed with incident EC between 2005 and 2007, in order to obtain pre-diagnostic information.
• Clinical and survival information was abstracted from women's medical records, supplemented by linkage to the Australian National Death Index.
• Using Cox proportional hazards regression, researchers estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all-cause and cause-specific survival (EC death vs. non-EC death) related to each exposure, overall and by risk group (low-grade endometrioid vs high-grade endometrioid and non-endometrioid).

Results

• A median follow-up of 7.1 years revealed death of 179 (13%) women, with 123 (69%) deaths from EC.
• Elevated body mass index (BMI), diabetes and the presence of other co-morbidities were shown to be related to a notably increased risk of all-cause and non-cancer related death.
• Higher cancer-specific mortality rates (HR 2.09, 95% CI 1.31–3.35) were noted in women with diabetes, specifically those who had were not obese (HR 4.13, 95% CI 2.20–7.76).
• The presence of ≥2 other co-morbidities (excluding diabetes) was also found to be related to increased risk of cancer-specific mortality (HR 3.09, 95% CI 1.21–7.89).
• For women with low-grade and high-grade endometrioid/non-endometrioid EC, generally similar patterns were observed.