The research summit was part of the ASCO Obesity Initiative, which sought to increase awareness of the links between obesity and cancer and to foster research in this area that evaluated the impact of weight loss and increased activity on cancer outcomes.

There have been hundreds of observational studies showing that obesity is associated with an increased risk of cancer and poor outcomes in many malignancies. However, there are few trials that actually test whether weight loss, a better diet, or increased physical activity reduces the risk of cancer recurrence and cancer-related mortality.

As rates of obesity continue to grow, obesity threatens to wipe out some of the advances we have made in improving cancer outcomes. A better understanding of the impact of obesity on cancer risk and outcomes is needed. Importantly, we also need to know if modification of lifestyle factors after cancer diagnosis can reduce the risk of cancer recurrence and improve survival rates in individuals with early-stage malignancies. ■