Obesity is Linked To Higher Risk Of Severe Prostate Cancer, Study Suggests

Aug, 2022 - By WMR

With new meta-analysis, study confirmed findings of prior research indicating the link between obesity and increased risk of terminal prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is considered as one of the most common type of cancer affecting men. Patients with prostate cancer live for many years after diagnosis, as this form of cancer grows slowly. However, now a team of scientists in the UK found that obesity can increase a patient’s risk of dying from prostate cancer. The causal mechanism behind this link of obesity to increased risk of terminal prostate cancer in men is not yet understood.

Previous studies have explored the link of excess body fat to increased rates of terminal prostate cancer. In the new research, the scientists investigated the link between body weight and the cancer thoroughly by performing meta-analysis of 19 previous studies, which also included data from more than 2.5 million male candidates. With this meta-analysis, the researchers confirmed suspicions of prior studies regarding higher body weight volume associated with increased rates of fatal prostate cancer. After quantifying this higher risk, the scientists discovered that with every five point increase in body mass index (BMI) of a person, the risk of dying from prostate cancer increases by 10%.

Furthermore, the link between excessive body weight and fatal prostate cancer was not related to the body part where the body weight was concentrated in subjects. However, the researchers found 7% increase in risk of dying due to prostate cancer, for each 3.9 inch increased circumference of waist. According to this study, 5% drop in average BMI of men is expected to cause nearly 1,300 fewer deaths from prostate cancer per year. As reported by the scientists, the mechanism behind this link of body weight to fatal prostate cancer is not yet clear, however, the findings of this study suggest increased volumes of body fat could be causing the progression of prostate cancer in men.