Obesity and Cancer: An Inflammatory Link

Why do doctors get worried, particularly with the link between obesity and cancer?

When people gather advice about obesity from doctors, they always hear about diabetes and heart disease. But the other big deal that gets less attention is cancer. Recent research advances knowledge that obesity is a carcinogen to many types of cancer. That is more than a little bit of an increase, for being obese predisposes one to up to three times the normal risk of developing some types of cancer. If a person is obese, doctors have learned to think of obesity as the equivalent of one of the other types of risk for cancer, such as smoking or too much exposure to the sun.

How do doctors use the Body Mass Index (BMI)?

Obesity is a complex disease, and what we find helpful to do now and then as a reminder for ourselves is determining what, technically, obesity is. Being obese is not the only problem.

Doctors use the BMI or Body Mass Index to assess obesity. They look at your body weight by your body height. BMI itself is not foolproof, yet it is a suitable starting point with which doctors approximate your health risks.

Here is the standard way doctors classify them:

Underweight: Less than 18.5
Normal weight: 18.5 to 24.9
Overweight: 25 to 29.9
Obese: 30 or higher

Another factor doctors use in measuring obesity is where you place your weight. They are very concerned about what they call belly fat, otherwise known as visceral fat. These are not dead tissues; they’re active tissues that can affect your body’s normal functioning.

What happens inside your body if you gain weight?

When you gain too much weight, especially in your belly, it’s like having too much pollution. Your fat cells aren’t just quiet storage units- they’re chatty! They release substances that can cause trouble throughout your body.

These are unique proteins that doctors call inflammatory cytokines. You can imagine these as alarm signals that put your body’s immune system on high alert. If these alarm signals go on for a long time, they keep your body on high alert, and the doctors say you exhibit chronic inflammation.

What is inflammation?

Inflammation is a normal process when your body tries to balance malfunctions. Recall when you got that paper cut. The surrounding area reddened, heated up, and even swelled. That’s your inflammation at work, helping you heal. Such transient inflammation is okay and normal.

But obesity provokes a whole different type of inflammation—one that’s more like the steady glow of a fire that never quenches. Inflammation gradually affects cells and sets up the conditions that permit cancer to occur.

What are the possible ways through which chronic inflammation leads to cancer?

Now things get interesting. The relationship between inflammation and cancer is a chain reaction.

In a state of chronic inflammation, several things occur in your body:

Free radicals attack your cells with the bad stuff. This can damage your DNA, like scratching the instruction manual that tells your cells what to do.
Chronic inflammation can affect how cells grow and divide—it’s like a factory with lousy quality control.
Your immune system, which might otherwise fight cancer for you, is not working to optimal capacity when it’s in a constant state of inflammation.

Some cancers that have been associated with obesity include but are not limited to the following:

Breast Cancer (most common after the menopause years)
Colon and rectal cancer
Endometrial cancer- cancer of the uterus lining
Kidney cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Esophageal cancer
Gallbladder cancer
Liver cancer

What else gives obesity a disadvantage in terms of cancer?

Inflammation is one of the significant roles that connect obesity with cancer, but it is not the only thing. Obesity can change your body in so many other ways that may increase your risk for cancer:

Hormonal changes: Excess fat may secrete more estrogen. It is the hormone that might fuel the growth of certain cancers related to breast and endometrial.
Some of the patients who are obese could one day face insulin resistance. This is when they produce more insulin than is needed within their body. Extra insulin can feed a few cancer cells to grow faster.
Physical Changes: Some obesity causes bodily changes, increasing cancer risk. Obesity patients are mostly more likely to experience more acid reflux, meaning increasing their risks for esophageal cancer.

Will losing weight decrease cancer risk?

The good news is that research shows that losing weight could help reduce your risk for cancer. Even just a little weight loss decreases inflammation within the body. Since you shed fat around the midsection due to your weight loss, your body doesn’t make as many of the inflammatory chemicals; it is the same principle behind turning that chronic inflammation we are talking about down.

Be wary of unhealthy gradual weight loss, too. Examples include popular crash diets, which build more inflammation around your body, which may or may not help.

What can you do to reduce inflammation and risk of cancer?

The reduction of inflammation and cancer risk is not dependent on losing weight. Here are some ways to improve your health:

Do exercise: Physical activity is a very effective means of keeping inflammation at bay, and walking is also a good option. Set your program with a short walk for around 30 minutes.

Anti-inflammatory diet: You see, the body requires good fats in your diet. In contrast, consuming an abundance of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can be extremely advantageous. It is also worth noting that fish offers benefits with resolving inflammation.

Get Enough Rest: Sleeping less than 7-8 hours can hurt the codependent process at the root of problems like sleep loss. You need to sleep for about seven to eight hours every night to be of good quality and repair the inflammation you get from lack of sleep. So, if you can’t get enough deep and restorative sleep, write down the many things disturbing your sleep in a journal.

Managing stress: Chronic stress is one of the leading causes of inflammation. Keep your mind stress-free with help from meditation, yoga, or friends.

Don’t take these inflammatory substances: Limit alcohol; avoid tobacco or quit smoking; and get away from all those processed foods containing sugars and unhealthy fats.

When should you talk to your doctor?

Talk to your doctor if you want to be mindful of your weight and cancer risks. They can:

It helps understand individual risks for cancer concerning weight or other factors.
Help you develop a cancer screening that’s right for your level of risk.
Help you find a safe and effective weight-loss plan if it is needed.
Blood tests will check for inflammation signs if they are needed.

This implies that it is never too late to make changes for healthy maintenance. Even small steps toward a healthier weight can reduce inflammation and cancer risk.

What’s the future for obesity and cancer research?

They constantly discover how obesity, inflammation, and cancer are interlinked. They have recently been trying to devise new ways of measuring and treating the inflammation that will also give them specific treatments that could break the link between obesity and cancer.

Conclusion:

Some studies are now exploring whether anti-inflammatory drugs might lower the risks of cancer in overweight or obese patients. Others are looking into how different types of fat tissue contribute to risks for cancer in various ways.

Understanding these connections helps doctors develop better strategies to prevent and treat cancer in people with obesity. It also helps them identify who might be at higher risk and need more careful monitoring.

Remember, the association between obesity and cancer is disturbing, but there is much that you can do to reduce your risk. Be realistic and target long-term lifestyle changes; do not hesitate to seek help if you need it.