The relationship between fat accumulation and distribution and cancer risk may depend on gender

Obesity has been previously associated with an increased risk of cancer, but most studies did not differentiate between male and female patients’ risk. A prospective study of more than 400,000 UK Biobank participants, conducted by researchers at Uppsala University, found that both overall adiposity and fat distribution across body parts differed according to gender. found to pose a cancer risk. Furthermore, this study showed that such risks differed by cancer type, such as colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, and liver cancer.

Dr. Osa Johansson and colleagues reported on their research in the following paper. cancer cellIn an article titledObesity and sex-specific cancer risk’” They conclude in their report. “This study reports that fat accumulation and distribution influences the risk of different types of cancer, with some effects differing by sex. It shows a strong impact on overall risk, which is consistent with most previous studies and may be used to guide future prevention strategies.”

Obesity is recognized as a major risk factor for several cancers, including colorectal, breast, endometrial, renal, and esophageal, and globally, obesity accounts for all cancer cases. It points out the proportion that is thought to be the cause (proportion attributable to population). PAF is estimated to be 5-10%, but is even higher, estimated at over 30%, in esophageal and endometrial cancers in developed regions of the world. “In some cases, obesity surpasses smoking as a major modifiable risk factor for cancer,” the researchers continued. “This is particularly alarming given that obesity rates for both men and women have continued to rise globally over the past 50 years.”

Furthermore, studies have shown that body fat accumulation, as assessed by body mass index (BMI), is indicative of cancer risk, while body fat distribution, as measured by waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist circumference (WC), is associated with cancer risk. It has been shown to represent cancer risk. ), which may also be independently associated with cancer risk. And while this fat distribution is “dramatically” different between men and women, the researchers continued: “…It is still unclear how different aspects of obesity affect cancer risk, as there are cross-correlations between different obesity traits and measures. No systematic studies have been published to date on how it affects cancer risk.”

“An important aspect of obesity-related disease risk is the distribution of fat in different parts of the body,” Johansson added. “Abdominal fat deposits are thought to be more pathogenic than subcutaneous fat. In addition, the amount of fat stored in different compartments and the incidence of most cancers are also different in women and men. These facts motivated a careful gender-stratified analysis of obesity-related cancer risks.”

The researchers used data from 442,519 participants in the UK Biobank for their study. The participants, a cross-sectional cohort of 500,000 UK residents aged 37 to 73 years, were recruited between 2006 and 2010 and followed for an average of 13.4 years thereafter. Data collected from participants in the database included details about the distribution of fat in their bodies and whether they had developed cancer. “…we investigated the sex-specific effects of 14 different obesity traits representing fat accumulation or fat distribution on 19 types of cancer and on 8 histologic subtypes of lung, esophageal, renal, and liver cancers. Decided, contrasted …,” they write.

The researchers used Cox proportional hazards modeling to identify associations between the level and distribution of body fat in participants at initial assessment and subsequent cancer incidence. They found that all cancer types except brain cancer, cervical cancer, and testicular cancer were associated with at least one obesity-related trait. “Previous studies have been more limited in terms of cancer numbers and obesity traits, but our study uses a strong prospective study design to assess risk for several cancer types and subtypes. It provides a comprehensive and systematic overview of the influence of traits on fat distribution and accumulation,” the team noted.

Among female patients, the strongest associations between global adiposity and cancer were gallbladder, endometrial, and esophageal adenocarcinoma. In men, the strongest associations between global adiposity and cancer were breast, hepatocellular, and renal cell carcinomas. Regarding fat accumulation and distribution, effects on colorectal, esophageal, and liver cancers differed between men and women. For example, a greater proportion of fat stored in the abdomen was associated with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in women, but not in men. Furthermore, body fat accumulation was associated with a higher risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in men, but this effect was not present in women.

“We were surprised to see that the effects of obesity on cancer risk appeared to differ not only between men and women, but also between postmenopausal and premenopausal women,” says Johansson. said Mr. “Most notably, obesity is only a risk factor for postmenopausal breast cancer, probably due to changes in estrogen production associated with menopause.”

The researchers noted limitations of the study, in particular that it was largely limited to white British participants, who make up nearly 95% of the UK Biobank. They explained that their findings may differ from, or may not apply to, other ethnic groups. They also acknowledged that the participants were older, so the results were likely not directly applicable to younger populations.

Nevertheless, they said: “We show that many adiposity effects, particularly those of adiposity traits, are heterogeneous across genders. Combined with the sex-specific genetic architecture of these traits identified in previous studies, this These findings strongly support that clinical risk assessment should be performed differently in men and women.”

The researchers plan to conduct additional studies to help develop a fuller understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying these findings. Future research will also focus on genetic and environmental risk factors for cancer. These risk factors are not static and vary throughout a person’s life. This includes examining changes in the effects of obesity before and after menopause.

“Given the rapidly increasing rate of obesity worldwide, obesity is now the fastest growing risk factor for overall cancer risk,” Rusk Andersen said. further pointed out. “Therefore, measures to prevent and reduce the incidence of obesity and overweight are highly ambitious. However, it is important to consider that losing weight does not eliminate the risk of cancer. Lung cancer There are still many individual risk factors that have a greater impact on certain types of cancer, such as smoking for , and sun exposure for skin cancer.”