A new study has shown that aggressive prostate cancer is linked to the larger waistline among men. This is very important discovery since prostate cancer is very aggressive and it has high mortality rate.
The research was conducted on 140,000 men from Europe and all results show that 4inches (10cm) larger waist can increase the chances of developing this form of cancer by 13%.
Since prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men, these results are very important. Scientists presented the study at the European Obesity Summit in Gothenburg, Sweden, where they showed the link between prostate cancer and body measurements in man in their 50s.
Higher body mass index (BMI) and waist circumferences (The fat around our bellies that can increase our risk of cancer) also help in developing an aggressive form of this deadly disease. A man with a waist size more than 37in (94cm) and a woman of more than 31.5in (80cm) have, for example, higher risk of health problems overall.
Prostate cancer facts
- More than 10,800 men die from it every year in the UK
- About 47,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in the UK
- More than 330,000 men are living with or after prostate cancer
- One in eight men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime
Source: Prostate Cancer UK
This problem is more than complex and it varies from man to man when it comes to speed of developing and aggressiveness. A study has shown that the source of this type of cancer is in the fat cells, but that is not proven yet.
Dr. Aurora Perez-Cornago from the Nuffield Department of Population Health at the University of Oxford says that “men need to maintain a healthy weight and if possible lose weight around their waist”, but she also added that this study has not looked deeper at the impact of losing weight on prostate cancer risk.
A spokesman for Prostate Cancer UK said: ” Staying active and maintaining a healthy weight can protect against many diseases, including cancer.
“This research adds to a growing body of evidence that shows that weight and waist size could be another crucial risk factor for men to be aware of when it comes to protecting themselves against prostate cancer.”
Thea Cunningham, health information officer at Cancer Research is not sure whether excess weight itself is causing men to develop aggressive prostate cancers.At least she is sure that parents should encourage their children to lead a healthy lifestyle that will help them keep a healthy body weight later on in life. But more studies are needed and lots more data in order to see if we can untangle the effect of adult weight and other risk factors when it comes to cancer risk
“Keeping a healthy weight can help men reduce their risk of several other cancers including bowel cancer.”
