Obesity, the Adipose Organ and Cancer in Humans: Association or Causation?
Epidemiological observations, experimental studies and clinical data show that obesity is associated with a higher risk of developing different types of cancer; however, proof of a cause–effect relationship that meets the causality criteria is still lacking. Several data suggest that the adipose org...
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| Format: | Članak |
| Jezik: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Serija: | Biomedicines |
| Teme: | |
| Online pristup: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/11/5/1319 |
| _version_ | 1827741961755295744 |
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| author | Elisabetta Trevellin Silvia Bettini Anna Pilatone Roberto Vettor Gabriella Milan |
| author_facet | Elisabetta Trevellin Silvia Bettini Anna Pilatone Roberto Vettor Gabriella Milan |
| author_sort | Elisabetta Trevellin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Epidemiological observations, experimental studies and clinical data show that obesity is associated with a higher risk of developing different types of cancer; however, proof of a cause–effect relationship that meets the causality criteria is still lacking. Several data suggest that the adipose organ could be the protagonist in this crosstalk. In particular, the adipose tissue (AT) alterations occurring in obesity parallel some tumour behaviours, such as their theoretically unlimited expandability, infiltration capacity, angiogenesis regulation, local and systemic inflammation and changes to the immunometabolism and secretome. Moreover, AT and cancer share similar morpho-functional units which regulate tissue expansion: the adiponiche and tumour-niche, respectively. Through direct and indirect interactions involving different cellular types and molecular mechanisms, the obesity-altered adiponiche contributes to cancer development, progression, metastasis and chemoresistance. Moreover, modifications to the gut microbiome and circadian rhythm disruption also play important roles. Clinical studies clearly demonstrate that weight loss is associated with a decreased risk of developing obesity-related cancers, matching the reverse-causality criteria and providing a causality correlation between the two variables. Here, we provide an overview of the methodological, epidemiological and pathophysiological aspects, with a special focus on clinical implications for cancer risk and prognosis and potential therapeutic interventions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:55:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-417aef8cd04d46d696f2fe0d946377dd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9059 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:55:33Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biomedicines |
| spelling | doaj.art-417aef8cd04d46d696f2fe0d946377dd2023-11-18T00:35:19ZengMDPI AGBiomedicines2227-90592023-04-01115131910.3390/biomedicines11051319Obesity, the Adipose Organ and Cancer in Humans: Association or Causation?Elisabetta Trevellin0Silvia Bettini1Anna Pilatone2Roberto Vettor3Gabriella Milan4Center for the Study and Integrated Treatment of Obesity (CeSTIO), Internal Medicine 3, Department of Medicine, University Hospital of Padova, 35128 Padova, ItalyCenter for the Study and Integrated Treatment of Obesity (CeSTIO), Internal Medicine 3, Department of Medicine, University Hospital of Padova, 35128 Padova, ItalyCenter for the Study and Integrated Treatment of Obesity (CeSTIO), Internal Medicine 3, Department of Medicine, University Hospital of Padova, 35128 Padova, ItalyCenter for the Study and Integrated Treatment of Obesity (CeSTIO), Internal Medicine 3, Department of Medicine, University Hospital of Padova, 35128 Padova, ItalyCenter for the Study and Integrated Treatment of Obesity (CeSTIO), Internal Medicine 3, Department of Medicine, University Hospital of Padova, 35128 Padova, ItalyEpidemiological observations, experimental studies and clinical data show that obesity is associated with a higher risk of developing different types of cancer; however, proof of a cause–effect relationship that meets the causality criteria is still lacking. Several data suggest that the adipose organ could be the protagonist in this crosstalk. In particular, the adipose tissue (AT) alterations occurring in obesity parallel some tumour behaviours, such as their theoretically unlimited expandability, infiltration capacity, angiogenesis regulation, local and systemic inflammation and changes to the immunometabolism and secretome. Moreover, AT and cancer share similar morpho-functional units which regulate tissue expansion: the adiponiche and tumour-niche, respectively. Through direct and indirect interactions involving different cellular types and molecular mechanisms, the obesity-altered adiponiche contributes to cancer development, progression, metastasis and chemoresistance. Moreover, modifications to the gut microbiome and circadian rhythm disruption also play important roles. Clinical studies clearly demonstrate that weight loss is associated with a decreased risk of developing obesity-related cancers, matching the reverse-causality criteria and providing a causality correlation between the two variables. Here, we provide an overview of the methodological, epidemiological and pathophysiological aspects, with a special focus on clinical implications for cancer risk and prognosis and potential therapeutic interventions.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/11/5/1319obesityadipose organcancer |
| spellingShingle | Elisabetta Trevellin Silvia Bettini Anna Pilatone Roberto Vettor Gabriella Milan Obesity, the Adipose Organ and Cancer in Humans: Association or Causation? Biomedicines obesity adipose organ cancer |
| title | Obesity, the Adipose Organ and Cancer in Humans: Association or Causation? |
| title_full | Obesity, the Adipose Organ and Cancer in Humans: Association or Causation? |
| title_fullStr | Obesity, the Adipose Organ and Cancer in Humans: Association or Causation? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Obesity, the Adipose Organ and Cancer in Humans: Association or Causation? |
| title_short | Obesity, the Adipose Organ and Cancer in Humans: Association or Causation? |
| title_sort | obesity the adipose organ and cancer in humans association or causation |
| topic | obesity adipose organ cancer |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/11/5/1319 |
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