title: Morbidly obese women with and without endometrial cancer: are there differences in measured physical fitness, body composition, or hormones?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Exercise is potentially protective against cancer for obese women. The objectives were to examine differences in activity, body composition, and hormones in overweight/obese women with and without endometrial cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women ≥ 50 years old with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m(2) scheduled for abdominal hysterectomy were enrolled. Demographics, physical activity, and quality of life (QOL) data were collected. Body composition/fitness was evaluated using Air Displacement Plethysmography (BodPod) and a standardized treadmill. Adiponectin, androstenedione, leptin, estradiol, estrone, progesterone, sex hormone binding globulin, insulin and glucose were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-eight women enrolled in this pilot study; 22 had endometrial cancer. Mean age was 58.3 years, mean BMI, fat weight and percent body fat were 41.3 kg/m(2), 55 kg and 51% respectively. Fitness levels were poor; 90% of women had peak oxygen uptakes below the 10th percentile of population normals yet 80% still rated their fitness level as equivalent to other women. Women with and without cancer did not differ in age, BMI, co-morbidities, energy expenditures, body composition, hormones or QOL although glucose levels were higher in women with cancer (119.5 vs. 90.7 mg/dl; p=0.049). Cancer subjects scored worse on every fitness measurement, reaching statistical significance for VO(2 peak) (15.0 vs. 17.9 ml/kg/min; p=0.033). Current exercisers had a lower BMI (p=0.039), decreased fat weight (p=0.024), decreased waist circumference (p=0.05) and improved vitality compared to non-exercisers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physical fitness levels were abysmal in these morbidly obese subjects and worse for cancer patients. Exercise correlated with improved body composition and vitality.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0712, USA. scm6h@virginia.edu
authors.forename: Susan C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Modesitt
authors.forename: Dyanna L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Geffel
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Via
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: L Weltman
mesh_terms: D001823:Body Composition; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017698:Postmenopause
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones