A new study has been published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncoplogy led by Joseph Barbi, PhD, and Sai Yendamuri, MD, MBA, FACS, of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York. It has reported that excess abdominal adiposity is associated with increased lung cancer risk. Their findings directly challenge the long-standing “obesity paradox” in lung cancer epidemiology.
Study Examines Abdominal Fat and Lung Cancer Risk
The team analyzed CT scans and clinical information from 1170 high-risk individuals, including 594 patients with early-stage lung cancer and 576 individuals without lung cancer. In the current study, the team used total abdominal fat area (TFA) measured from CT scans rather than relying only on BMI. The various factors like age, sex and smoking status were also accounted for. Those with higher BMI, lung cancer patients also had significantly greater abdominal fat. Greater adiposity was associated with suppression of immune pathways that help to identify and eliminate malignant cells.
Obesity Increased Lung Tumor Development in Mice
The investigators also compared normal-weight mice with those made obese. The obese mice exhibited significant changes in immune environment of their lungs. Researchers found that obesity significantly increased lung tumor development in both genetically driven and chemically induced models of lung carcinogenesis. Such experiments allowed them to examine changes in immune-cell populations.
Abdominal Fat May Alter the Lung’s Immune Environment
Their findings suggest that excess adiposity may alter the immune environment of the airway. “Overall, our data clearly associate central adiposity with heightened lung cancer risk,” Dr. Barbi writes. The team concludes that obesity is associated with enhanced lung carcinogenesis and immune-suppressive mechanisms are associated with excess adiposity. Such efforts aimed to combat lung cancer development in obese populations continue to grow in and around the world.
The information shared in this blog is for educational purposes only. You should always consult with your healthcare professional for any medical needs.
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