Obesity and Cancer: Mechanisms, Epidemiological Evidence, and Potential Risk Reduction

Obesity promotes carcinogenesis through interlocking metabolic, inflammatory, immune, and hormonal pathways. We narratively synthesize recent meta-analyses and selected cohort studies that examine adiposity-principally body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference-in relation to cancer incidence. Across the 13 cancers designated by the U.S. National Cancer Institute as obesity-associated, risk elevations are generally consistent, though magnitudes vary by histology (e.g., esophageal adenocarcinoma vs. squamous cell carcinoma), anatomic subsite (gastric cardia vs. non-cardia), sex or menopausal status, and adiposity metric, with central adiposity often revealing additional risk beyond BMI. Evidence is mixed for…

• KF
  Korean Foundation for Cancer Research

  Award: CB-2022-A-1