The growing challenge of obesity and cancer: an inflammatory issue

The prevalence of obesity, an established risk factor for many cancers, has risen steadily for the past several decades in the United States and in many parts of the world. This review synthesizes the evidence on key biological mechanisms underlying the obesity–cancer link, with particular emphasis...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2011-07, Vol.1229 (1), p.45-52
Main Authors: Harvey, Alison E., Lashinger, Laura M., Hursting, Stephen D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adipocytes - metabolism
Animals
Caloric Restriction
Cancer
Epithelial Cells - metabolism
Growth factors
hormones
Humans
inflammation
Inflammation - complications
Inflammation - etiology
Inflammation - metabolism
Neoplasms - etiology
Neoplasms - metabolism
Obesity
Obesity - complications
Obesity - metabolism
Signal Transduction
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Summary:The prevalence of obesity, an established risk factor for many cancers, has risen steadily for the past several decades in the United States and in many parts of the world. This review synthesizes the evidence on key biological mechanisms underlying the obesity–cancer link, with particular emphasis on the impact of energy balance modulation, such as diet‐induced obesity and calorie restriction, on growth factor signaling pathways and inflammatory processes. Particular attention is placed on the proinflammatory environment associated with the obese state, specifically highlighting the involvement of obesity‐associated hormones/growth factors in crosstalk between macrophages, adipocytes, and epithelial cells in many cancers. Understanding the contribution of obesity to growth factor signaling and chronic inflammation provides mechanistic targets for disrupting the obesity–cancer link.
ISSN:0077-8923
1749-6632
DOI:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06096.x