Carrying too much extra weight can make prostate cancer more severe. A new study suggests that men with a BMI over 30 are three times as likely to have prostate cancer advance. These overweight men were also five times as likely to have cancer move to other parts of their body, and three times as likely to have it move into their bones.

These figures held true even in obese men who had been treated with a therapy that deprives tumors of testosterone, known as androgen deprivation therapy. It is theorized that obese men may need higher doses of androgen deprivation therapy. Currently, doses are the same for men of all weight.

If you are obese, you should discuss weight management techniques with your doctor, including JSAPA Weight Loss Surgery. Experts recommend that men who have prostate cancer or who are at risk for it receive interventions that address excess weight. Bariatric surgery has been proven successful at helping people lose weight. There are a number of experienced surgeons here in the Jacksonville area who can discuss whether the procedure is the right fit for you.

There is also a link between obesity and the recurrence of prostate cancer. Studies have shown that men with a BMI over 35 were over one-and-a-half times more likely to have prostate cancer recur.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers, with one-in-six men developing it sometime during their lifetime. It is also the second deadliest form of cancer for men. Any interventions that are possible to reduce your chances of developing prostate cancer or to reduce the deadliness of the disease should be considered by you and your doctor.