An Overview of Recent Findings that Shed Light on the Connection between Fat and Cancer

Abstract:

Obesity and cancer have been found to have a direct link in epidemiological studies. Obesity raises the risk of cancer and associated chronic disorders. Furthermore, an imbalance of ad-ipokines, like leptins, plays a crucial role in neoplasm pathogenesis, cell migration, and thereby, cancer metastasis. Also, leptin increases human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) protein levels through the STAT3-mediated (signal transducer and activator of transcription) upregulation of heat shock protein (Hsp90) in breast cancer cells. It has been noticed that insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) act as mitosis activators in the host and cancerous breast epithelial cells. The condition of hyperinsulinemia explains the positive association between colorectal cancer and obe-sity. Furthermore, in prostate cancer, an alteration in sex hormone levels, testosterone and dihydro-testosterone, has been reported to occur, along with increased oxidative stress, which is the actual cause of the tumors. Whereas, there have been two interconnected factors that play a crucial role in the psychological cycle concerned with lung cancer. The review article focuses on all the prospects of etiological mechanisms that have found linkage with obesity and breast, colon, lung, and prostate cancers. Furthermore, the article has also highlighted how these new insights into the processes oc-cur and, due to which reasons, obesity contributes to tumorigenesis. This review provides a detailed discussion on the progression, which can assist in the development of new and innovative tech-niques to interfere in this process, and it has been supported with insights based on evidence litera-ture on approved clinical treatments for obesity and cancer.