An analysis of data from the UK Biobank cohort study reveals that six biomarkers of adiposity can predict the incidence and mortality rates for common cancers.
The study examined data from 437,393 participants. Median follow-up was 8.8 (interquartile range [IQR], 7.9-9.6) years for cancer incidence and 9.3 (IQR, 8.6-9.9) years for mortality.
Adiposity-related makers were body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, waist-hip ratio (WHR), waist-height ratio (WHTR), waist circumference (WC) and hip circumference (HC).
During follow-up, 47,882 individuals developed cancer and 11,265 died due to cancer.
BMI was associated with a higher incidence of 10 cancers: stomach cardia, gallbladder, liver, kidney, pancreas, bladder, colorectal, endometrial, uterine and breast cancer in postmenopausal women.
WC was associated with increased incidence of breast, colorectal, endometrial, renal, hepatic, oesophageal, gastric and uterine cancer. HC was linked to increased incidence of breast, colorectal, endometrial, renal, hepatic, oesophageal, gastric and uterine.
WHR and WHTR were linked to increased incidence of bladder, breast, colorectal, endometrial, gallbladder, renal, hepatic, lymphatic, oesophageal and gastric cancer, along with oesophageal cancer with the latter.
BMI was linearly associated with increased mortality in nine cancers: colorectal, endometrial, kidney, liver, lymphatic, oesophageal, pancreatic, stomach cardia and uterine.
There was a relationship between mortality and WC in endometrial, renal, hepatic, oesophageal and uterine cancer, whereas HC was linked to mortality in colorectal, endometrial, renal, hepatic, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, oesophageal and gastric cancer.
WHR and WHTR were linked to increased mortality in endometrial, renal, hepatic, gastric and uterine cancer. WHR alone showed an association with mortality in colorectal, gallbladder, pancreas and gastric cancer, whereas an association with WHTR alone was seen in oesophageal cancer.
