Metabolic Syndrome and Risk of Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Featured Article:

Katherine Esposito, M.D., Ph.D., Paolo Chiodini, Ph.D., AnnaMaria Colao, M.D., Andrea Lenzi, M.D., Dario Giugliano, M.D., Ph.D.

Diabetes Care Volume 35: 2402-2411

November, 2012

STUDY OBJECTIVE 

• Metabolic syndrome may be associated with the risk of some common cancers

• Systematic review and meta-analysis performed to assess the association between metabolic syndrome and risk of cancer

Esposito K et al. Diabetes Care 2012;35:2402-2411

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

• Electronic search conducted for articles published through October 2011

• Every study reported risk estimates with 95% CIs for the association between metabolic syndrome and cancer

Esposito K et al. Diabetes Care 2012;35:2402-2411

Esposito K et al. Diabetes Care 2012;35:2402-2411

RESULTS

• 116 datasets from 43 articles analyzed, including 38,940 cases of cancer

• In men, presence of metabolic syndrome associated with liver (relative risk 1.43, P < 0.0001), colorectal (1.25, P < 0.001), and bladder (1.10, P = 0.013) cancer

• In women, presence of metabolic syndrome associated with endometrial (1.61, P = 0.001), pancreatic (1.58, P < 0.0001), postmenopausal breast (1.56, P = 0.017), rectal (1.52, P = 0.005), and colorectal (1.34, P = 0.006) cancer

Esposito K et al. Diabetes Care 2012;35:2402-2411

RESULTS

• Associations with metabolic syndrome stronger in women than men for pancreatic (P = 0.01) and rectal (P = 0.01) cancers

• Associations different between ethnic groups:

o Stronger associations for liver cancer in Asian populations (P = 0.002), for colorectal cancer in women in European populations (P = 0.004), and for prostate cancer in U.S. populations (whites) (P = 0.001)

Esposito K et al. Diabetes Care 2012;35:2402-2411

Esposito K et al. Diabetes Care 2012;35:2402-2411

Esposito K et al. Diabetes Care 2012;35:2402-2411

Esposito K et al. Diabetes Care 2012;35:2402-2411

Esposito K et al. Diabetes Care 2012;35:2402-2411

Esposito K et al. Diabetes Care 2012;35:2402-2411

Esposito K et al. Diabetes Care 2012;35:2402-2411

Esposito K et al. Diabetes Care 2012;35:2402-2411

Esposito K et al. Diabetes Care 2012;35:2402-2411

Esposito K et al. Diabetes Care 2012;35:2402-2411

Esposito K et al. Diabetes Care 2012;35:2402-2411

Esposito K et al. Diabetes Care 2012;35:2402-2411

Esposito K et al. Diabetes Care 2012;35:2402-2411

CONCLUSIONS

• Metabolic syndrome associated with increased risk of common cancers

• For some cancers, risk differs betweens sexes, populations, and definitions of metabolic syndrome

Esposito K et al. Diabetes Care 2012;35:2402-2411