Impact of Physical Inactivity on Risk of Developing Cancer of the Uterine Cervix: A Case-Control Study.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, we investigated whether physical inactivity was associated with risk of cervical cancer in women treated at an American cancer hospital.


METHODS
This case-control study included 128 patients with cervical cancer and 512 controls matched on age. Controls were women suspected of having but not ultimately diagnosed with a neoplasm. Physical inactivity was defined in accordance with the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Thus, participants reporting, on average, no moderate or vigorous recreational physical activity were classified as inactive. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).


RESULTS
Compared with noncancer controls, those with cervical cancer had significantly increased odds of reporting abstinence from recreational physical activity (OR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.56-3.80). No association was noted between occupational-related physical inactivity and cervical cancer (OR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.58-1.36).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that abstinence from regular recreational physical activity is associated with increased odds of cervical cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first US-based study examining these associations. Given the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, this study has identified yet another potential public health benefit to regular physical activity. Further investigation is needed using a larger sample and prospectively collected data to characterize dose of activity to mitigate risk and the optimal window of susceptibility.
1Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute; 2Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, State University of New York at Buffalo; 3Department Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo; 4Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY; 5College of Medicine, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA; 6Independent Health; 7Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Cancer Institute; and 8Center for Immunotherapy, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY.
James Brian
JB
Szender
Rikki
R
Cannioto
Nicolas R
NR
Gulati
Kristina L
KL
Schmitt
Grace
G
Friel
Albina
A
Minlikeeva
Alexis
A
Platek
Emily H
EH
Gower
Ryan
R
Nagy
Edgar
E
Khachatryan
Paul C
PC
Mayor
Karin A
KA
Kasza
Shashikant B
SB
Lele
Kunle
K
Odunsi
Kirsten B
KB
Moysich
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult