Funding outcome

Cancer of the uterus is the most common gynecologic cancer. It is often related to obesity; obesity results in hormonal changes that affect lining of the uterus and can lead to pre-cancerous and cancerous changes. Surgery is the best treatment for this cancer and it usually leads to cure. However, women with obesity are more likely to have problems during and after surgery, such as bleeding and infection. For other types of surgeries, weight loss prior to surgery reduces these complications. Pre-cancers and low-grade cancers of the uterus progress slowly, offering a window of opportunity to optimize patient health prior to surgery. We aim to see if short term physician-supervised weight loss results in less risk for women having surgery for cancer of the uterus. All women presenting to Gynecologic Oncology in Edmonton, Alberta, with either pre-cancer or low grade cancer of the uterus, and a body mass index more than 40 kg/m2, will be referred to a Preoperative Weight Loss Clinic. Women will participate in clinic for three to six months prior to surgery. One or more strategies may be used to support weight loss: low-calorie liquid diet using meal replacement shakes, other medical nutrition therapies, or weight loss medications. We will track weight, bloodwork, vital signs, medication, and side effects, and study cancer outcomes. We will also study patient experience; we will ask to interview women once they either finish the weight loss intervention or withdraw. The study will take place over approximately two years, when we should have enough women (approximately 81) who have completed the intervention to have meaningful results. We hope that these results will help us to better care for women with obesity and the most common gynecologic cancer we treat--cancer of the uterus.