Yonsei Med J.  2005 Aug;46(4):449-455. 10.3349/ymj.2005.46.4.449.

Obesity, Insulin Resistance and Cancer Risk

• Jee SH
• Kim HJ
• Lee J

• KMID: 1716512
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2005.46.4.449

Abstract

Obesity is a known cause of metabolic syndrome which includes Type II diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. It is well documented that insulin resistance contributes to the mortality and the incidence of metabolic syndromes including central obesity, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia and hypertension. Both obesity and diabetes are emerging topics for researchers to consider as having a possible causal association with cancer since the two factors have been viewed as risk factors for cancer. The present paper introduced the hypothesis of a possible causal relationship between obesity, insulin resistance and cancer and reviews relevant existing studies in this area. More efforts and studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms and the common risk factors which might be incorporated into interventions to prevent cancer and cardiovascular diseases as top causes of death.

Keyword

Obesity; insulin resistance; cancer; mechanism

MeSH Terms

Diabetes Complications/etiology
Humans
Hypercholesterolemia/complications
Hypertension/complications
Inflammation/etiology
*Insulin Resistance
Neoplasms/*etiology
Obesity/*complications
Oxidative Stress
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Risk Factors

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Prevalence of obesity in Korean men.

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  Fig. 2 Increased cancer risk through insulin resistance: a multi-dimensional model.

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  Fig. 3 Hazard ratios of diabetes versus non-diabetes on various cancers in Korean men and women. Source: Jee et al. JAMA 2005;293:194-202.

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  Fig. 4 Hazard ratios for all cancer deaths by fasting serum glucose levels in Korean men according to body mass index, 1993-2002. Source: Jee et al. JAMA 2005;293:194-202.

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