Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Childhood Metabolic Syndrome and Cancer Risk

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Pediatric Metabolic Syndrome

  • 905 Accesses

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome in children age 10 years and older, as defined by consensus among experts through the International Diabetes Federation, is a cluster of six risk factors for cardiovascular disease: obesity (defined by waist circumference or central obesity), elevated triglyceride concentrations, low high-density lipoprotein concentrations, elevated blood pressure, and elevated fasting glucose concentrations or type 2 diabetes. Of these risk factors, obesity in adults is the second leading cause of preventable death in the USA and is also a risk factor for cancer in adults. Obesity has been associated with increased risks of postmenopausal breast, colon, endometrial, esophageal, and kidney cancers, and it probably also increases the risk of gallbladder, ovarian, pancreatic, thyroid, and prostate cancers. In this chapter, we review the epidemiology of obesity and cancer, the effect of obesity on cancer morbidity and mortality, and the biochemical factors associated with obesity in association with increased cancer risk. We also explore the rates of obesity and its consequences in long-term survivors of childhood cancers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. The International Diabetes Federation consensus definition of the metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents. http://www.idf.org/webdata/docs/Mets_definition_children.pdf. Accessed 4 May, 2011.

  2. Alberti KG, et al. Harmonizing the Metabolic Syndrome: a joint interim statement of the International Diabetes Federation Task Force on Epidemiology and Prevention; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; American Heart Association; World Heart Federation; International Atherosclerosis Society; and International Association for the Study of Obesity. Circulation. 2009;120:1640–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Mokdad AH, Marks JS, Stroup DF, Gerberding JL. Actual causes of death in the United States, 2000. JAMA. 2004;291:1238–45.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Berrinton de Gonzalez A, Hartge P, Cerhan JR, et al. Body-mass index and mortality among 1.46 million white adults. N Engl J Med. 2010;363:2211–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Tannenbaum A, Silverstone H. Nutritional relation to cancer. Adv Cancer Res. 1953;1:451–501.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Blitzer PH, Blitzer EC, Rimm AA. Association between teenage obesity and cancer. Prev Med. 1976;5:20–31.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Biro FM, Wien M. Childhood obesity and adult morbidities. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;91:1499S–505.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Bianchini F, Kaaks R, Vainio H. Overweight, obesity and cancer risk. Lancet Oncol. 2002;3:565–74.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. American Cancer Society guidelines on nutrition and physical activity for cancer prevention. http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/002577-pdf.pdf. Accessed 1 May 2011.

  10. Danaei G, Hoorn SV, Lopez AD, et al. Causes of cancer in the world: comparative risk assessment of nine behavioural and environmental risk factors. Lancet. 2005;366:1784–93.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Calle EE, Rodriguez C, Walker-Thurmond AK, Thun MJ. Overweight, obesity, and mortality from cancer in a prospectively studied cohort of U.S. adults. N Engl J Med. 2003;348:1625–38.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Mossberg HO. 40-year follow-up of overweight children. Lancet. 1989;2(8661):491–3.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Must A, Jacques PF, Dallal GE, Bajema CJ, Dietz WH. Long-term morbidity and mortality of overweight adolescents. A follow-up of the Harvard Growth Study of 1922 to 1935. N Engl J Med. 1992;327:1350–5. PMID: 1406836.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Jeffreys M, Smith GD, Martin RM, et al. Childhood body mass index and later cancer risk: a 50-year follow-up of the Boyd Orr Study. Int J Cancer. 2004;112:348–51.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Reeves GK, Pirie K, Beral V, et al. Cancer incidence and mortality in relation to body mass index in the Million Women Study: cohort study. BMJ. 2007;335:1134–45.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Renehan AG, Tyson M, Egger M, Heller RF, Zwahlen M. Body-mass index and incidence of cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective observational studies. Lancet. 2008;371:569–78.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Burton A, Martin R, Galogardes B, et al. Young adulthood body mass index and risk of cancer in later adulthood: historical cohort study. Cancer Causes Control. 2010;21:2069–77.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Larsson SC, Wolk A. Obesity and colon and rectal cancer risk: a meta-analysis of prospective studies. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;86:556–65.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Moghaddam AA, Woodward M, Huxley R. Obesity and risk of colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis of 31 studies with 70,000 events. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2007;16:2533–47.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Rapp K, Klenk J, Ulmer H, et al. Weight change and cancer risk in a cohort of more than 65,000 adults in Austria. Ann Oncol. 2008;19:641–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Calle EE, Thun MJ. Obesity and cancer. Oncogene. 2004;23:6365–78.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. De Waard F, Baanders-Van Halewijn EA. A prospective study in general practice on breast-cancer risk in postmenopausal women. Int J Cancer. 1974;14:153–60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. McTiernan A, Irwin M, VonGruenigen V. Weight, physical activity, diet, and prognosis in breast and gynecologic cancers. J Clin Oncol. 2010;28:4074–80.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Protani M, Coory M, Martin JH. Effect of obesity on survival of women with breast cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2010;123:627–35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Petrelli J, Calle E, Rodriguez C, Thun M. Body mass index, height, and postmenopausal breast cancer mortality in a prospective cohort of US women. Cancer Causes Control. 2002;13:325–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Harvie M, Howell A, Vierkant RA, et al. Association of gain and loss of weight before and after menopause with risk of postmenopausal breast cancer in the Iowa women’s health study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2005;14:656–61.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Coates RJ, Uhler RJ, Hall HI, et al. Risk of breast cancer in young women in relation to body size and weight gain in adolescence and early adulthood. Br J Cancer. 1999;81:167–74.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Schouten LJ, Goldbohm RA, van den Brandt PA. Anthropometry, physical activity, and endometrial cancer risk: results from the Netherlands Cohort Study. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2004;96:1635–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Smith RA, von Eschenbach AC, Wender R, et al. American Cancer Society guidelines for early endometrial cancer detection: Update 2001. http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/content/full/51/1/38. Accessed 18 Apr 2011.

  30. Hongo M, Nagasaki Y, Shoji T. Epidemiology of esophageal cancer: orient to occident. Effects of chronology, geography and ethnicity. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2009;24:729–35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Berrington de Gonalez A, Sweeland S, Spencer E. A meta-analysis of obesity and the risk of pancreatic cancer. Br J Cancer. 2003;89:519–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Nathan C. Epidemic inflammation: pondering obesity. Mol Med. 2008;13:485–92.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Fader AN, Arriba LN, Frasure JE, VonGruenigen VE. Endometrial cancer and obesity: epidemiology, biomarkers, prevention and survivorship. Gynecol Oncol. 2009;114:121–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Kaklamani VG, Wisinski KB, Sadim M, et al. Variants of the adiponectiv (ADIPOQ) and adiponectin receptor 1 (ADIPOR1) genes and colorectal cancer risk. JAMA. 2008;300:1523–31.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Alemzadeh R, Kichler J, Babar G, Calhoun M. Hypovitaminosis D in obese children and adolescents: relationship with adiposity, insulin sensitivity, ethnicity, and season. Metabolism. 2008;57:183–91.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Grant WB, Mohr SB. Ecological studies of ultraviolet B, vitamin D and cancer since 2000. Ann Epidemiol. 2009;19:446–54.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Paz-Filho G, Lim EL, Wong ML, Licinio J. Associations between adipokines and obesity-related cancers. Front Biosci. 2011;16:1634–50.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Brawer R, Brisbon N, Plumb J. Obesity and cancer. Prim Care. 2009;36:509–31. PMID: 19616153.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Catalano S, Marsico S, Giordano C, et al. Leptin enhances, via AP-1, expression of aromatase in the MCF-7 cell line. J Biol Chem. 2003;278:28668–76.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Meacham LR, Chow EJ, Ness KK, et al. Cardiovascular risk factors in adult survivors of pediatric cancer – a report from the childhood cancer survivor study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010;19:170–81.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Miller TL, Lipsitz SR, Lopez-Mitnik G, et al. Characteristics and determinants of adiposity in pediatric cancer survivors. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010;19:2013–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Bianchini F, Kaaks R, Vainio H. Weight control and physical activity in cancer prevention. Obes Rev. 2002;3:5–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Adams TD, Gress RE, Smith SC, et al. Long term mortality after gastric bypass surgery. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:753–61.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Ostlund MP, Lu Y, Lagergren J. Risk of obesity-related cancer after obesity surgery in a population-based cohort study. Ann Surg. 2010;252:972–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Childhood obesity – Advancing effective prevention and treatment: An overview for professionals. NIHCM. http://www.nihcm.org/pdf/ChildObesityOverview.pdf. Accessed 18 May 2011.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics (R-131), University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1611 NW 12th Avenue C600D (R-131), Miami, FL, 33136, USA

    Stefanie R. Brown M.D., FAAP

  2. Department of Pediatrics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

    Steven E. Lipshultz M.D.

Authors
  1. Stefanie R. Brown M.D., FAAP
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Steven E. Lipshultz M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefanie R. Brown M.D., FAAP .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Pediatrics, Miller School of Medicine, D820, Miami, 33101-6820, Florida, USA

    Steven E. Lipshultz

  2. , Pediatrics, Miller School of Medicine, 1580 NW 10th Avenue, Miami, 33130, USA

    Sarah E. Messiah

  3. , Pediatrics, Miller School of Medicine, 1580 NW 10th Avenue #123, Miami, 33101, USA

    Tracie L. Miller

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer-Verlag London

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Brown, S.R., Lipshultz, S.E. (2012). Childhood Metabolic Syndrome and Cancer Risk. In: Lipshultz, S., Messiah, S., Miller, T. (eds) Pediatric Metabolic Syndrome. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2366-8_11

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2366-8_11

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-2365-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-2366-8

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation