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Link Between Breast Cancer Survivors & Weight Gain

Summary: Breast cancer survivors might be facing another issue after treatment: excessive weight gain.
Air Date: 7/24/15
Duration: 10
Host: Leigh Vinocur, MD
Guest Bio: Kala Visvanathan, MBBS, MHS
VisvanathanDr. Kala Visvanathan is a cancer epidemiologist and a medical oncologist who conducts epidemiological research focused on reducing breast and ovarian cancer incidence and mortality.

Specifically, she is interested in understanding the underlying etiology of these diseases, genetic and environmental risk factors and implementing early detection and preventive strategies to women in the general and high-risk population.
Link Between Breast Cancer Survivors & Weight Gain
According to The American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the second leading cause of death for women.

Breast cancer deaths have been declining, and there's more than 2.8 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. But, these women might be facing another issue after treatment: excessive weight gain.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center reviewed a questionnaire and a follow-up four years later of 303 breast cancer survivors and 307 cancer-free women.

Researchers found that within the four-year span, survivors of breast cancer gained more weight (3.6 pounds) than cancer-free women.

Why does this happen?

Listen in as Kala Visvanathan, MBBS, MHS, shares the recent study and why survivors are gaining more weight.