Jun 18, 2023 11:00:00

Research results that people who are fat when young have a 27% increase in the risk of death from prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is a type of cancer with a very high incidence rate, and although it progresses slowly in the early stages, there are often no subjective symptoms. sometimes involved. A new study was presented at the European Obesity Conference in Dublin, Ireland, showing that people who gain weight at a young age are more likely to develop advanced or fatal prostate cancer. I was.

Study finds weight gain early in life increases risk of prostate cancer death by 27% | Cancer research | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/may/16/study-finds-weight-gain-early-in-life-increases-risk-of-prostate-cancer-death-by-27

Weight gain in late teens and 20s associated with higher risk of fatal prostate cancer
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-05-weight-gain-late-teens-20s.html

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in the world, with more than 1.4 million new cases diagnosed each year. In Sweden in Northern Europe, it seems to be the most common cancer in men, with 10,000 cases and nearly 2,000 deaths reported annually.

Dr. Marisa da Silva , an epidemiology researcher at Lund University in Sweden, said, 'Learning more about the factors that lead to prostate cancer is key to prevention: aging, family history, and some genetic markers. are known risk factors, but they cannot be avoided or changed, so it is essential to identify modifiable risk factors.'

Also, although many prostate cancers grow slowly and may not cause any harm in life, some advanced prostate cancers can spread outside the prostate. Previous studies have found strong evidence that being overweight increases the risk of fatal prostate cancer, but factors such as when the person was overweight were not analyzed.

Dr. Da Silva's research team collected weight and health check information from millions of people living in Sweden to investigate the relationship between body weight and prostate cancer

Obesity and Disease Development Sweden study (Swedish Obesity and Disease Development Survey / ODDS) data were used in the study.

Using data from 258,477 men enrolled in the ODDS between 1963 and 2014, the study analyzed weight measured at least three times between ages 17 and 60, as well as prostate cancer diagnoses and deaths. bottom. 23,348 of the subjects were diagnosed with prostate cancer during the study, the average age at diagnosis was about 70 years old, and 4790 died of prostate cancer during the follow-up period until 2019.

Subjects gained an average of 0.45 kg per year between their first and last measurements (median 16 years). Weight gain was most pronounced at a young age, with an average weight gain of 0.73 kg per year at ages 17-29, 0.34 kg at ages 30-44, and 0.22 kg at ages 45-60.

Analysis of these data showed that subjects with a lifetime weight gain of 0.5 kg or more per year had a 10% increased risk of advanced prostate cancer and a 29% increased risk of fatal prostate cancer. I was. Further analysis also found that subjects who gained a total of 13 kg or more between the ages of 17 and 29 had a 13% increased risk of advanced prostate cancer and a 27% increased risk of fatal prostate cancer. rice field.

Previous studies have shown that increased levels of the hormone insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in obese people are associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. . 'This hormone level is elevated in obese people, and rapid weight gain may contribute to elevated hormone levels and the development of cancer,' says Dr. Da Silva.

“It is unclear whether weight gain per se or prolonged periods of being underweight are the primary factors driving the association between obesity and prostate cancer,” said Dr. Da Silva. prevention of weight gain in young men is essential for the prevention of prostate cancer.'