Visceral fat accumulation as a risk factor for prostate cancer

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2004

Authors

von Hafe P (Author) FMUP; Pina, F (Author) Other; Perez, A (Author) Other; Tavares, M (Author) Other; Barros H (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: Obesity Research

Vol. 12

Pages: 1930-1935

ISSN: 1071-7323

Publisher: North American Association for the Study of Obesity

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 98 Citations

Scopus - 105 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-000-7KH

DOI: 10.1038/oby.2004.242

Abstract (EN): Objective: No clear association between obesity or body fat distribution and prostate cancer has been shown. We investigated the relation between visceral fat accumulation as measured by computed tomography (CT) and the occurrence of prostate cancer. Research Methods and Procedures: We compared body fat distribution assessed by a direct method (CT) in 63 prostate cancer cases with 63 age-matched healthy community controls. A CT scan at the level of the fourth lumbar vertebra was performed in all participants. Results: Patients presented a significantly higher mean total abdominal fat area (509.2 +/- 226.1 vs. 334.3 +/- 132.9 cm(2) p < 0.001), mostly because of a higher mean visceral fat area (VF; 324.7 +/- 145.6 vs. 177.4 +/- 88.4 cm(2), P < 0.001) and a significantly higher mean ratio between visceral and subcutaneous fat areas (V/S ratio; 1.8 +/- 0.4 vs. 1.2 +/- 0.4, p < 0.001). A significantly higher risk of prostate cancer was found for participants with higher VF (odds ratio = 4.6; 95% confidence interval = 2.6 to 8.2 per SD increase) and V/S ratio (odds ratio = 6.0; 95% confidence interval = 2.3 to 11.0 per SD increase). Discussion: These results suggest a role for visceral obesity, quantified by CT, as a risk factor for prostate cancer. The action of the adipocytokines secreted by visceral fat cells, steroid hormone disturbances, and increased levels of insulin or other hormones noted in visceral obesity may explain this association.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 6