It’s no secret that obesity leads to myriad health complications and is one of the most concerning health issues of the future.
Medical science has long known that obesity can contribute to an increased risk of cancer, but a new study shows how it specifically applies to breast cancer in men and women.
Researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center believe their study is the first to provide evidence that obesity can alter the genes involved in our body’s inflammatory response, hereditary disorders and other immunological diseases.
A team of geneticists, cell biologists, medical oncologists and epidemiologists examined tissue samples collected from 121 women with no history of breast cancer, 51 of whom were considered clinically obese.
When examining obesity and inflammation response, they found that obese women were more likely to have sporadic gene mutations involved in diseases and disorders for inflammatory response, hereditary disorder and immunological disease.
“Different types of breast cancer could be affected differently by obesity, a more robust understanding of how obesity triggers inflammatory cancer pathways and increases breast cancer risk could help us develop better or earlier prevention strategies in women at increased risk based on their weight,” said senior study author Dr Peter Shields.
Health professionals advise that watching your weight is of the utmost importance, but also suggest that to decrease your chances of breast cancer, you could take a low-dose aspirin each day and cut back on alcohol.
Were you aware of the link between cancer and obesity? Will such knowledge mean you take better care of your weight?
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