Obesity and The Risk of Cancer

Obese people have presence of low-levels of chronic inflammation, which can over time, cause DNA damage and lead to cancer. Overweight and obese individuals are more likely to have conditions linked with chronic inflammation that are risk factors for cancer. For example, obesity, is linked with diabetes, which is a low level chronic inflammatory state that also promotes cancer formation. Another example is chronic inflammation induced by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or Barrett esophagus, a likely cause of esophageal cancer. Obesity is a risk factor for gallstones, which is a strong risk factor for gallbladder cancer.

The other mechanism that works in promoting cancer in obese people is through production of excess levels of estrogen in fatty tissues, also called as adipose tissue. This increases risk of breast cancer, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer and other cancers.

Obese people also have increased levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factors. When these factors are found in increased amounts in the blood, it leads to a condition called hyperinsulinemia, or insulin resistance, and this precedes the development of type 2 diabetes. These 2 factors, ie insulin and IGF-1 promote the development of colon cancer, kidney cancer, prostate cancer, and endometrial cancers.