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Colorectal cancer (CRC) patients who are obese may face a slightly higher risk for developing a second weight-related cancer, according to a new study. 

The study did not mention the risk of CRC recurrence but only underscored the potential for developing other cancers associated with obesity. 

Researchers considered around 11,598 CRC survivors who were about age 69 on average when first diagnosed. Patient weight had been assessed prior to their initial diagnosis by means of a body mass index calculation. In all, 44 percent of the patients were deemed overweight (BMI, 25 to 29 kg/m²), while one-quarter were obese (BMI, ≥30 kg/m²), according to the press release.

Researchers noted that when compared with CRC survivors who had been at normal weight at diagnosis, those who had been overweight or obese faced a greater risk for developing a second obesity-related cancer down the road. The highlighted the fact that a higher obesity-driven risk was identified for kidney, pancreatic, esophageal, and endometrial cancers, including for postmenopausal breast cancer among female CRC patients. 

"The implication is that maintaining a healthy weight is important for cancer prevention in CRC survivors, just as it is in the general population. Our results further emphasize the importance of existing guidelines recommending healthy weight for survivors," said lead research Todd Gibson, Ph.D., in the press release.

The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.