Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Cancer Risk.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes have both been associated with increased cancer risk and are becoming increasingly prevalent. Metabolic abnormalities such as insulin resistance and dyslipidemia are associated with both obesity and type 2 diabetes and have been implicated in the obesity-cancer relationship. Multiple mechanisms have been proposed to link obesity and diabetes with cancer progression, including an increase in insulin/IGF-1 signaling, lipid and glucose uptake and metabolism, alterations in the profile of cytokines, chemokines, and adipokines, as well as changes in the adipose tissue directly adjacent to the cancer sites. This review aims to summarize and provide an update on the epidemiological and mechanistic evidence linking obesity and type 2 diabetes with cancer, focusing on the roles of insulin, lipids, and adipose tissue.
Competing Interests: TS and AE declare no conflicts of interest. EG declares the following potential conflicting interests: EG has served on an advisory board for Novartis Pharmaceuticals and as consultant for Seattle Genetics. DR declares the following conflicting interests: DR has served on advisory boards for Mannkind and AstraZeneca.
(Copyright © 2021 Scully, Ettela, LeRoith and Gallagher.)