New Delhi (NVI): Obesity per se does not cause cancer. But, the behaviour and prognosis of cancer can vary depending on whether or not the cancer patient is co-morbidly obese, according to a recent study by a team of researchers at National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) in Pune.
Obesity is a condition in which a person has an unhealthy amount and/or distribution of body fat. Many different factors can cause obesity. One of the major reasons is genetic in nature, the Ministry of Science and Technology said in a report.
To determine the impact of obesity resulting from leptin deficiency on cancer, Manoj Kumar Bhat and his research team at the National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) in Pune studied the differences in the incidence and progression of colon cancer when it occurs in association with genetically-linked obesity, vis-a-vis when it occurs in association with diet-induced obesity.
Their study revealed significant differences between the two groups. Further, these differences were found to be strongly correlated with the balance between two important molecules, leptin and TNF alpha, which influence the growth of cancer cells.
The study has provided valuable insights into the molecular connections underlying the relationship of diet-induced and genetics-associated obesity with colon cancer.
These findings warrant further exploration through more in-depth clinical studies, to determine if they have any implications in and relevance to the management of cancers.
