Obesity Ups Risk of Cancer

There are many health risks associated with obesity, including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and cancer. Researchers at the University of California in San Diego have confirmed by experiments on mice that obesity does act and a 'bona fide tumor promoter.' The research is reported in the January 22, 2010 issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication.

"Doctors always worry about our weight, but the focus is often on cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, both of which can be managed pretty well with existing drugs," said Michael Karin of the University of California, San Diego, in a press release. "However, we should also worry about elevated cancer risk. If we can reduce cancer deaths by as many as 90,000 per year, that's a lot of people – a lot of lives."

The team of researchers lead by Karen found that liver cancer is fostered by inflammatory factors that accompany obesity. The findings suggest that anti inflammatory drugs taken for other conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease, may also reduce the risk of cancer.

Earlier studies had shown that obese people have about a 1.5 fold increase in cancer risk overall. The risk is greater with liver cancer, where the risk increases to 4.5 fold. That may not necessarily sound like a lot, Karin said, but it equates to about 90,000 extra cancer deaths per year in the United States alone.

The study findings suggest yet another reason to take off the extra fat, particularly fat in the liver, called fatty liver. Overall weight loss may help to reduce the fat accumulation in the liver, as well as in the overall body.

This article is for informative purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. If you have questions about a medical condition, please consult a physician.

Resources: EurekAlert: Cell Press

Written by Christine Nyholm
Huliq.com

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