Obesity Increases Prostate Cancer Risk

Obesity Increases Prostate Cancer Risk Obesity may increase risk for prostate cancer, according to a study  published in JAMA Oncology. Researchers monitored cancer incidence rates from 3,398 African-American men and 22,673 non-Hispanic white men as part of the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT) for almost six years. African-American men with a higher BMI had up to four times the risk for prostate cancer, compared with thinner men. While the exact mechanism behind obesity and prostate cancer development remains unknown, the study authors emphasize obesity’s link to inflammation, insulin resistance, and the development of prostate-specific antigens. Barrington WE, Schenk JM, Etzioni R, et al. Difference in association of obesity with prostate cancer risk between US African American and non-Hispanic white men in the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT). JAMA Oncol. Published online April 16, 2015.