Body-Mass Index and Pancreatic Cancer Incidence: A Pooled Analysis of Nine Population-Based Cohort Studies With More Than 340,000 Japanese Subjects

Abstract

BackgroundA high body mass index (BMI) has been proposed as an important risk factor for pancreatic cancer. However, this association of BMI with pancreatic cancer risk has not been confirmed in Asian populations.MethodsWe evaluated the association between BMI (either at baseline or during early adulthood) and pancreatic cancer risk by conducting a pooled analysis of nine population-based prospective cohort studies in Japan with more than 340,000 subjects. Summary hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated by pooling study-specific HRs for unified BMI categories with a random-effects model.ResultsAmong Japanese men, being obese at baseline was associated with a higher risk of pancreatic cancer incidence (≥30 kg/m2 compared with 23 to <25 kg/m2, adjusted HR 1.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–2.86). A J-shaped association between BMI during early adulthood and pancreatic cancer incidence was seen in men. In contrast, we observed no clear association among women, although there may be a positive linear association between BMI at baseline and the risk of pancreatic cancer (per 1 kg/m2, adjusted HR 1.02; 95% CI, 1.00–1.05).ConclusionsPooling of data from cohort studies with a considerable number of Japanese subjects revealed a significant positive association between obesity and pancreatic cancer risk among men. This information indicates that strategies that effectively prevent obesity among men might lead to a reduced burden of pancreatic cancer, especially in Asian populations.

Adolescent overweight and obesity and the risk for pancreatic cancer among men and women: a nationwide study of 1.79 million Israeli adolescents

“…Cancer January 1, 2019 age 20 years), obesity was associated with an HR of 1.71 for pancreatic cancer. 15 In our previous report, which included only 98 cases of pancreatic cancer among men, we reported an approximately 2-fold increased risk of pancreatic cancer for men who were overweight or obese at adolescence. 14 In the current study, we demonstrate a Cancer January 1, 2019…”

“…The Cancer Prevention Study II cohort reported that, after adjusting for age, sex, smoking, BMI, and diabetes, pancreatic cancer mortality was higher among Jewish participants than among non-Jewish whites (relative risk, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.30-1.57). 15 We expect to produce more conclusive results at the next linkage of cancer cases planned in our cohort. Furthermore, the young age of the cohort at the termination of follow-up and the young mean age of the individuals may have played a role.…”

“…15 In our previous report, which included only 98 cases of pancreatic cancer among men, we reported an approximately 2-fold increased risk of pancreatic cancer for men who were overweight or obese at adolescence. 15 In our previous report, which included only 98 cases of pancreatic cancer among men, we reported an approximately 2-fold increased risk of pancreatic cancer for men who were overweight or obese at adolescence.…”

“…[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] There also are data supporting an association of overweight and obesity during adolescence or early adulthood as well as in childhood. 6,7,[11][12][13][14][15] Childhood obesity is a global problem. 4 In the United States alone, approximately 17% of children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years have obesity (defined as an age-specific and sex-specific body mass index [BMI] in the 95th percentile or greater, based on year 2000 US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] growth charts).…”

Body fatness at a young age and risks of eight types of cancer: systematic review and meta‐analysis of observational studies

“…Apart from these malignancies, epidemiological evidence of the associations between body fatness at a young age and other malignancies has been accumulating within the past few decades . A number of studies have investigated the associations between body fatness at a young age and cancers of the pancreas (34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43), renal cell (44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49)(50)(51)(52)(53)(54)(55) and thyroid (56)(57)(58)(59)(60)(61)(62), as well as DLBCL (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17); fewer studies have reported associations between body fatness at a young age and hepatocellular carcinoma (26)(27)(28)(29), multiple myeloma (12,14,(30)…”