Named non-obvious risk factor for cancer

Obesity has long been recognized as a risk factor for a number of oncological diseases. However, a new analysis by British researchers has shown: what matters is not only overall body mass, but also where exactly fat is deposited in the body. The work is published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI).

Scientists studied the relationship between fat distribution and the risk of 12 types of obesity-related cancers - from colorectal and pancreatic cancer to breast and endometrial tumors.

For the analysis, they used the Mendelian randomization method - a statistical approach that uses natural genetic variations and large medical databases. This made it possible to understand how body composition features might affect the probability of developing cancer.

It turned out that fat distribution does indeed affect risk, but differently depending on the specific type of cancer. In some cases, the total volume of adipose tissue proved to be key, in others - its localization, and for some types of malignant tumors, both factors are important at once. Moreover, the "dangerous zones" of fat differ for different forms of the disease, which makes the picture extremely complex.

"Our results confirm that body mass index, while useful for assessing population-level trends, is too simplified for diagnosing individual risks. There are no universal schemes for cancer prevention in obesity - a more personalized approach is needed," explained the author of the work, Emma Hazelwood.

According to the researchers, in the future, understanding which specific fat "depots" provoke different types of tumors will help more accurately identify risk groups and adjust methods for the prevention and treatment of obesity.

"It's important to understand the biological mechanisms that underlie these connections, and to understand how they are influenced by diet, lifestyle, and new medicinal approaches," noted Hazelwood.