Sunday, April 8, 2007

Obesity enhances risk of cancer

A chemical produced by fat cells makes colon cancers grow faster, a US study has suggested. The hormone leptin is a key for the rapid growth of human colon cancer cells. Leptin is found to be more in those people who have more fat cells in the body. Hence obese people are found to have three times more chances of developing colon cancer (BBC NEWS).


Study of San Diego team has shown that the hormone leptin hindered the process of programmed cell death, and hence resulting in cancerous cells. Researches have shown that the colon cancer cells have "receptors" on their surfaces for the attachment of the hormone leptin. Hormone binds with receptors and forms a hormone receptor complex that triggers the growth of human colon cancer cells. Obesity increases the chance of developing breast cancer and also doubled the risk of prostate cancer.


Professor Alan Clarke said: "This research builds on previous work suggesting that leptin, a hormone released from fat cells, may play a role in the link between obesity and cancer.


"Although at an early stage, the findings shed light both on the development of bowel cancer and the link between obesity and cancer."


Dr Kim Barrett, who led the research, said: "These results may explain why obesity increases a person's risk of colonel cancer"


So, all this shows that obesity and cancer are highly linked. An obese person is at much higher risk position of developing cancer than a healthy man and the reason is fat hormone which are in high concentration in an obese person than a normal healthy person.

1 comment:

insta said...

Beside the unattractive look of an obeseperson, he or she has an increased chance of heart attacks, strokes, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, back and knee problems, stretch marks, varicose veins, and fungal infections.