Women's Risk Perceptions and Willingness to Engage in Risk-Reducing Interventions for the Prevention of Obesity-Related Endometrial Cancer.

INTRODUCTION

Endometrial cancer rates are rising in parallel with the global obesity epidemic. Our aim was to assess the willingness of women at greatest risk of obesity-related endometrial cancer to engage with risk-reducing strategies and establish perceived barriers that may preclude their participation in a randomized controlled trial of primary endometrial cancer prevention.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Women attending gynecology, obesity and sleep apnea clinics in Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre-affiliated hospitals with obesity classes II (BMI 35-39.9kg/m) and III (BMI ≥40kg/m) were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey. We asked women about their perceived risk, knowledge of risk factors and willingness to engage with endometrial cancer risk-reducing interventions.

RESULTS

Seventy-four women with a median age of 51 years (range 22-73) and BMI of 47kg/m (range 34-81) took part in the study. Two-thirds (65.6%) knew that obesity was a risk factor for endometrial cancer but few were able to recall other major risk factors. Just over half (53.5%) perceived their risk of developing endometrial cancer to be higher than average. Women were prepared to lose weight (94%), eat healthily (91%), exercise more (87%), take a pill every day (74%) or receive an intra-uterine device (49%) for primary endometrial cancer prevention. Perceived barriers included cost, forgetting, willpower, finding time, physical fitness, social anxiety, possible side effects and previous bad experiences.

CONCLUSION

Women at highest risk of obesity-related endometrial cancer may not always appreciate their susceptibility. However, willingness to engage in risk-reducing strategies suggests recruitment to a randomized controlled trial for primary endometrial cancer prevention could be feasible.