Adiposity Tissue Increases Risk for Cancers Through “Cross-Talk”

Adiposity tissue, specifically visceral white adiposity tissue, influences the development of cancers through “cross-talk, according to the authors of a recent systematic review.

The review reinforces evidence from epidemiological, clinical, and preclinical studies that have suggested a link between cross-talk—the way cells react to the same signal when it is shared by more than 1 signaling pathway in 2 different cell types—and adiposity tissue and cancer-prone cells.
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Prior research has suggested that cross-talk between adiposity and cancer-prone cells might occur through obesity-associated hormones, cytokines, and other mediators that have been linked to the increased risk of developing cancer and cancer progression.

In their systematic-review, the authors analyzed the direct cross-talk between adipose tissue and carcinomas using data from 20 human studies. The studies included patients with breast, colorectal, esophageal, esophageal and colorectal, endometrial, prostate, and ear-nose-throat cancers.

The results suggested that organ-dependent cross-talk between adipose tissue and carcinomas occurred through VEGF, IL6, TNFa, and other mechanisms.

“Moreover, visceral white adipose tissue plays a more central role, as it is more bioenergetically active and is associated with a more procancer secretome than subcutaneous adipose tissue,” the researchers concluded. “Efforts to eavesdrop and ultimately interfere with this cancer-enhancing crosstalk may lead to new targets and strategies for decreasing the burden of obesity-related cancers.”

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Himbert C, Delphan M, Scherer D, Bowers LW, Hursting S, Ulrich CM. Signals from the adipose microenvironment and the obesity–cancer link—a systematic review. 2017.10(9). Cancer Prev Res. https://doi.org/10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-16-0322.