Obesity Crisis in Gynecologic Cancer

San Diego, March 26, 2014 /3BL Media/ – The journal Gynecologic Oncology, the official journal of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, is pleased to announce the launch of a special issue on gynecologic cancer prevention, treatment and survivorship in obese women. Working on the special issue, Guest Editors Dr Susan C. Modesitt (University of Virginia School of Medicine) and Dr Joan Walker (University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center) brought together researchers studying the influence of obesity on all components of gynecologic cancer care.

“The overweight and obesity epidemic affects clinical practice,” said Dr Modesitt. “Previous data published shows that 72% of women in the US now have a BMI of ≥ 25 kg/m2. We still do not truly understand which facet of obesity is carcinogenic and why only subsets of obese individuals develop cancer.”

As the proportion of the population which is overweight increases, patients no longer perceive obesity to be either abnormal or a disease state. This makes it exceedingly difficult to convince patients of the need for behavioral change and has given rise to many of the research topics in the special issue, such as public health policy, cancer prevention, all-cause mortality, treatment strategies, translational research, and survivorship. Also published in the issue also reviews on the impact of obesity on traditional cancer treatment modalities like surgery and chemotherapy.

“As a nation, the United States needs to be concerned about the responsibilities of the medical system to manage morbidly obese women. We hope that this special issue stimulates discussion and further research to find the data which are necessary to improve our prevention, symptom management, supportive care, survivorship and cancer care delivery program,” said Dr Walker.

The special issue is “Gynecologic Cancer Prevention, Treatment and Survivorship in Obese Women”, Volume 133, Issue 1 (April 2014) of Gynecologic Oncology published by Elsevier.  The special issue is now available online on ScienceDirect.

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About Gynecologic Oncology
Gynecologic Oncology, an international journal, is devoted to the publication of clinical and investigative articles that concern tumors of the female reproductive tract. Investigations relating to the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of female cancers, as well as research from any of the disciplines related to this field of interest, are considered for publication. Gynecologic Oncology has an Impact Factor of 3.929, ranking it in the top 10% of journals in the Obstetrics and Gynecologic category of the Journal Citation Reports and in the top 30% in the Oncology category.

About the Society of Gynecologic Oncology
The Society of Gynecologic Oncology is the premier medical specialty society for health care professionals trained in the comprehensive management of gynecologic cancers. As a 501(c)(6) organization, the SGO contributes to the advancement of women's cancer care by encouraging research, providing education, raising standards of practice, advocating for patients and members and collaborating with other domestic and international organizations.

SGO has more than 1,800 members representing the entire gynecologic oncology team in the United States and abroad. Members include primarily gynecologic oncologists, as well as medical oncologists, pathologists, radiation oncologists, hematologists, surgical oncologists, obstetrician/gynecologists, nurses, physician assistants, social workers, fellows-in-training, residents and other allied health care professionals interested in the treatment and care of women's cancer. SGO members provide multidisciplinary cancer treatment including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery and supportive care. They practice in a variety of settings, including academic institutions and hospitals, major regional cancer centers and private practice.

It is the mission of the SGO to promote the highest quality of comprehensive clinical care through education and research in the prevention and treatment of gynecologic cancers.

About Elsevier
Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make groundbreaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions — among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Elsevier Research Intelligence and ClinicalKey — and publishes nearly 2,200 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and over 25,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works.

The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC, a world-leading provider of professional information solutions in the Science, Medical, Legal and Risk and Business sectors, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).

Media contact
Sarah Jenkins
Elsevier
+44 1865 843243
sl.jenkins@elsevier.com