High BMI, increased waist circumference and type 2 diabetes are linked to cancer liver

Emobileclinic Researchers Corner 

The Cancer Research has recently published a research finding of researchers from the National Cancer Institute associating body mass index, higher waist circumference and type 2 diabetes with possibility of having cancer of the liver.

It is a very rare but serious condition originating from the liver, no obvious symptom at the early stage of the condition until it becomes relatively late to offer substantial medical care. Across the world, close to 700,000 people are being diagnosed of liver cancer annually. It is a highly fatal condition even in the event that the case is detected earlier; the rate of surviving it cannot exceed 5 years.

According to Peter Campbell who led this present study, “the prognosis for patients diagnosed with this type of cancer is especially grim”.  Generally, the main causes of liver cancer are unknown; however, a number of cases are linked to fibrosis and cirrhosis. Abuse of alcohol and hepatitis B and C infections can also lead to cancer of the liver.

The team sought to know whether there could be links between these three obesity-related parameters and the rise in liver cancer. About 1.57 million people participated in the research involving 14 different U.S.-based studies. Questionnaire data was collected at the beginning of each study relating to weight, waist size, height, tobacco usage, alcohol intake and other cancer-related risks.

The result shown that type 2 diabetes happened in 6.5 percent of the study participants with 2,162 having liver cancer. Also, the result revealed that for every increase in body mass index (BMI) of 5 kilograms per meter squared, there was a parallel increase in liver cancer risk; this amounted to 38 percent increase in men and 25 percent in women. Similarly, in every 5-centimeter extension there is higher the risk of 8 percent.

On using variables such as smoking, race, alcohol intake and BMI, the result discovered that individuals with type 2 diabetes were 2.61 times more likely to develop liver cancer; this risk increased in line with BMI.
Previous studies have linked BMI, waist circumference and type 2 diabetes to some obesity-related cancers including colorectal cancer, postmenopausal breast cancer, kidney, endometrium, thyroid, and gallbladder. According to Campbell, these new findings provide “substantial support to liver cancer being on the list of obesity-associated cancers.”
It is important to emphasize that this study has no absolute proof linking development of liver cancer to obesity solely; however, it shows that it is more than likely involved. Liver cancer will no longer be absolutely linked to alcohol abuse and hepatitis.

In showcasing the relevance of the study, Katherine A. McGlynn notes that: “from a public health perspective, these results are very important because obesity anddiabetes, unfortunately, are common conditions in the population. While some other well-described risk factors, such as hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus, are associated with increased risks of liver cancer, these factors are much less common than are obesity and diabetes.”