Bart C. De Jonghe, PhD, Discusses Obesity and Cancer Prognosis

Bart C. De Jonghe, PhD, assistant professor, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, discusses obesity and cancer prognosis.

On a population level, obesity is growing at a rate greater than ever before. Organizations such as the National Cancer Institute or American Cancer Society say obesity somehow contributes in a negative way to 25% of all cancers. This negative impact can be in the form of a direct risk factor or a metabolic disturbance that can either increase the risk for cancer at onset or increase the rate of progression of a solid tumor.

Researchers are trying to determine the mechanisms behind how obesity leads to an increased risk of cancer. Researchers are examining what is circulating in patients’ bloodstreams and intracellular signals that are causing the unlimited proliferation of cells.