Results reveal risk of recurrence 5 years after surgery 3.8 times higher with obesity
Recent research showed that the number of adults with obesity will increase by six times in the next 40 years.
Diabetes and obesity can fuel the relapse of liver
cancer — the sixth most common cancer worldwide. This has been revealed in a
study led by Osaka Metropolitan University, focused on hepatocellular carcinoma
(HCC) — a type of liver cancer associated with hepatitis infections — known to
have a high recurrence rate after cancer removal. It is also the third leading
cause of cancer-related deaths globally.
Obesity and diabetes, which are closely associated
with metabolic syndrome development, are well known to induce steatotic liver
diseases, potentially causing liver cirrhosis and HCC development. However,
obesity and diabetes’ effects on patient survival and cancer recurrence have
been unclear. “Since the risk of late recurrence is higher in hepatocellular
carcinoma with comorbid obesity and diabetes, controlling obesity and diabetes
is an important treatment strategy for the liver cancer,” said Dr Hiroji
Shinkawa's research team at the University's Graduate School of Medicine.
In the study, published in the journal Liver Cancer,
the team analysed the relationship between diabetes mellitus, obesity and
postoperative outcomes in 1,644 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who
underwent liver resection.
The results revealed that obesity increased the risk of recurrence two years after the operation approximately by 1.5 times, and in the case of diabetes, the risk was 1.3 times higher. In addition, the risk of recurrence after five years postoperatively was 3.8 times higher with obesity, while with diabetes, it was two times higher. The findings could contribute to the early detection of cancer recurrence and the design of appropriate treatment strategies, Dr Shinkawa said.
Obesity is a common risk factor for type 2 diabetes,
and the two conditions are often linked. Recent research showed that the number
of adults with obesity will increase by six times in the next 40 years, while
people with diabetes will soar 642 million by 2040.
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