Impact of Physical Inactivity on Risk of Developing Cancer of the Uterine Cervix: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

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 (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Compared to non-cancer 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.

Estudio de Factibilidad para Evaluar la Proporción de Cáncer Atribuible a Factores Modificables en el Perú y Latinoamérica

“…Pág. 117 significativo del riesgo de cáncer (Tabla 1) a los siguientes: (24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36) • Estilos de vida no saludables: Consumo de cigarrillos, exposición pasiva al humo de tabaco, consumo de alcohol, consumo de carnes rojas y procesadas, bajo consumo de frutas y verduras, fibra dietética, inactividad física y exceso de peso corporal.…”

Physical Activity of ≥7.5 MET-h/Week Is Significantly Associated with a Decreased Risk of Cervical Neoplasia

“…We suggest that it is necessary to explore the dosage of MET-h/week of physical activity to protect women from cervical neoplasia; however, only a few studies have evaluated the effects of physical activity on the cervical neoplasia risk [ 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Szender et al [ 19 ] recruited 128 patients with cervical cancer and 512 participants who were suspected of having but not ultimately diagnosed with a neoplasm to estimate the effect of physical activity on cervical cancer risk. They found that recreational physical activity, but not occupational-related physical activity significantly decreased the cervical cancer risk.…”

“…They found that recreational physical activity, but not occupational-related physical activity significantly decreased the cervical cancer risk. However, they did not provide a suggested dose of physical activity for protecting women from cervical cancer [ 19 ]. Chih et al [ 20 ] recruited 293 women with a normal Papanicolaou (Pap) smear and 55 women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) screened by Pap smear and found that the volume of physical activity did not significantly differ between these two groups [ 20 ].…”

“…Participants with high and medium MET-h/week levels of physical activity exhibited a significant trend of decreasing CIN2/3 and cervical cancer risks compared to participants with lowest tertile MET-h/week levels of physical activity [ 21 ]. Nevertheless, none of the three studies [ 19 , 20 , 21 ] analyzed a stratified effect of physical activity on CIN risk for different smoking exposures and HR-HPV infection statuses, as both smoking exposure and HR-HPV infection are predominant factors inducing cervical neoplasia. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether leisure-time physical activity is sufficient to decrease the risk of cervical neoplasia and provide suggested guidance of MET-h/week levels spent on leisure-time physical activity to prevent cervical neoplasia for the general female population, as well as for specific populations, including women who are non-smokers, are smokers, are exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS), do not have HR-HPV infection and have HR-HPV infection.…”

The association of lifetime physical inactivity with head and neck cancer: a hospital-based case–control analysis

“…In an era of potentially shifting risk factors associated with HNSCC, there is continued interest in identifying additional modifiable risk factors associated with these cancers. Recreational physical (in)activity represents a potentially modifiable factor that has been associated with risks of ovarian [5], cervical [6], lung [7], endometrial, breast, and colon cancers [8,9]. However, physical activity is not currently recognized as a protective factor for HNSCC, and the independent association of physical inactivity with HNSCC remains unknown.…”