Photo Source: Freepik
Data from global studies have long shown that malignant neoplasms are more likely to occur in people with excess weight and morbid obesity. More details about this connection can be found in Marus Media's article on obesity treatment.
In the new study, specialists from Sechenov University focused on investigating which specific conditions in obese patients are more likely to lead to cancer development.
Researchers analyzed medical records of nearly two thousand patients from a Moscow state clinic, dividing them into two groups: 994 people with metabolic syndrome (a complex of metabolic disorders including obesity, elevated blood pressure, diabetes, and lipid metabolism disorders) and 999 people without it. All participants were observed for more than 10 years.
Among patients with metabolic syndrome, cancer was detected in every fifth person (18.6%), whereas among people without this syndrome, only in every fourteenth person (7.3%). Thus, the ten-year risk of developing cancer in the presence of metabolic syndrome was nearly three times higher.
Experts shared an important observation: the highest cancer risk was observed in people with grade 1 obesity (body mass index 30-34.9 kg/m²), not in those with more severe forms. Women over 75 with moderate obesity were particularly vulnerable, their probability of developing cancer reached 74.6%. The authors explain this by the fact that people with grade 1 obesity suffer from it longer (often 10-15 years), leading to prolonged chronic inflammation and insulin resistance.
The study also showed that elevated blood pressure is a powerful risk factor for cancer development independent of body weight. Diabetes and cholesterol also played their negative role according to statistics. Elevated levels of "bad" cholesterol increase cancer risk 3.2-fold, especially prostate and colon cancer in men, as well as breast cancer in women. High blood glucose levels in turn significantly increase the likelihood of developing breast and pancreatic cancer.
How experts from Sechenov University explain the link between obesity and cancer:
- Chronic inflammation. Excess visceral (internal) fat leads to constant low-grade inflammation in the body, creating a favorable environment for tumor development.
- Insulin resistance. With obesity, cells stop responding normally to insulin, leading to increased blood insulin levels. Excess insulin stimulates tumor cell growth.
- Hormonal imbalance. Adipose tissue produces hormones that can promote growth of hormone-dependent tumors.
- Oxidative stress. Disturbances in fat and carbohydrate metabolism lead to excessive production of free radicals that damage cellular DNA and can trigger oncogenesis.
Source: Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science
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