Larger organ size caused by obesity is a mechanism for higher cancer risk

Obesity increases significantly cancer risk in various organs. Although this has been recognized for decades, the mechanism through which this happens has never been explained. Here, we show that obese people (BMI ≥30) have on average 55% (95%CI: 46%-66%), 68% (95%CI: 59%-76%), and 39% (95%CI: 29%-49%) larger kidneys, liver, and pancreas, respectively. We also find a significant linear relationship between the increase in organ volume and the increase in cancer risk (P-value−12). These results provide a mechanism explaining why obese individuals have higher cancer risk in several organs: the larger the organ volume the more cells at risk of becoming cancerous. These findings are important for a better understanding of the effects that obesity has on cancer risk and, more generally, for the development of better preventive strategies to limit the mortality caused by obesity.