The DOI matches its Crossref record; 184 of the 184 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Visceral adiposity, insulin resistance and cancer risk
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: There is a well established link between obesity and cancer. Emerging research is characterising this relationship further and delineating the specific role of excess visceral adiposity, as opposed to simple obesity, in promoting tumorigenesis. This review summarises the evidence from an epidemiological and pathophysiological perspective. METHODS: Relevant medical literature was identified from searches of PubMed and references cited in appropriate articles identified. Selection of articles was based on peer review, journal and relevance. RESULTS: Numerous epidemiological studies consistently identify increased risk of developing carcinoma in the obese. Adipose tissue, particularly viscerally located fat, is metabolically active and exerts systemic endocrine effects. Putative pathophysiological mechanisms linking obesity and carcinogenesis include the paracrine effects of adipose tissue and systemic alterations associated with obesity. Systemic changes in the obese state include chronic inflammation and alterations in adipokines and sex steroids. Insulin and the insulin-like growth factor axis influence tumorigenesis and also have a complex relationship with adiposity. There is evidence to suggest that insulin and the IGF axis play an important role in mediating obesity associated malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: There is much evidence to support a role for obesity in cancer progression, however further research is warranted to determine the specific effect of excess visceral adipose tissue on tumorigenesis. Investigation of the potential mechanisms underpinning the association, including the role of insulin and the IGF axis, will improve understanding of the obesity and cancer link and may uncover targets for intervention.
Overview
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Figures
Verification
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“corroborating the hypothesis that visceral obesity favors insulin resistance, as demonstrated in several previous studies [35,36,37].”
From MOSH Syndrome (Male Obesity Secondary Hypogonadism): Clinical Assessment and Possible Therapeutic Approaches (2018) · cites this paper as [36]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Citations
Cites
Hanahan, D., & Weinberg, R. A. (2000) · Cell · doi:10.1016/s0092-8674(00)81683-9 · Cited by 29,219
Coussens, L. M., & Werb, Z. (2002) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature01322 · Cited by 15,111
(2000) · PubMed · Cited by 13,173
Obesity : Preventing and managing the global epidemic
Akram, D. S., Astrup, A. V., Atinmo, T., Boissin, J.-L., Bray, G. A., Carroll, K. N., Chitson, P., Chen, C., Dietz, W. H., Hill, J. O., et al. (2000) · Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) · Cited by 12,945
Obesity is associated with macrophage accumulation in adipose tissue
Weisberg, S. P., McCann, D., Desai, M., Rosenbaum, M., Leibel, R. L., & Ferrante, A. W. (2003) · Journal of Clinical Investigation · doi:10.1172/jci200319246 · Cited by 10,041
The environment and disease: association or causation?
Hill, A. B. (2015) · Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine · doi:10.1177/0141076814562718 · Cited by 7,804
Overweight, obesity, and mortality from cancer in a prospectively studied cohort of U.S. Adults
Calle, E. E., Rodriguez, C., Walker-Thurmond, K., & Thun, M. J. (2003) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejmoa021423 · Cited by 7,696
Prevalence and Trends in Obesity Among US Adults, 1999-2008
Flegal, K. M. (2010) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.2009.2014 · Cited by 7,580
The Environment and Disease: Association or Causation?
Hill, A. B. (1965) · Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine · doi:10.1177/003591576505800503 · Cited by 6,974
Xu, H., Barnes, G. T., Yang, Q., Tan, G., Yang, D., Chou, C. J., Sole, J., Nichols, A., Ross, J. S., Tartaglia, L. A., et al. (2003) · Journal of Clinical Investigation · doi:10.1172/jci200319451 · Cited by 6,760
Research works printed but not linked: 3
- Calle EE, Kaaks R: Overweight, obesity and cancer: epidemiological evidence and proposed mechanisms. Nat Rev Cancer. 2004, 579-591.
- Wajchenberg BL: Subcutaneous and Visceral Adipose Tissue: Their Relation to the MetabolicSyndrome. Endocr Rev. 2000, 21: 697-738. 10.1210/er.21.6.697. · DOI · Paper page
- Giovannucci E: Metabolic syndrome, hyperinsulinemia, and colon cancer: a review. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2007, 86: 836S-842S. · DOI
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 201–246 of 246
Willers, J., & Hahn, A. (2013) · Food and Nutrition Sciences · doi:10.4236/fns.2013.410134 · Cited by 1
Overview of Obesity, Inflammation, and Cancer
Paredes‐Gonzalez, X., Khor, T. O., Shu, L., Saw, C. L. L., & Kong, A. N. T. (2013) · CRC Press eBooks · doi:10.1201/b15323-4 · Cited by 1
Understanding the Molecular Crosstalk in Biological Processes
El-Esawi, M. A. (2019) · IntechOpen eBooks · doi:10.5772/intechopen.77821 · Cited by 1
Adiponectin, Diabetes, and the Cardiovascular System
Gasbarrino, K., Boutari, C., Filippaios, A., Gianopoulos, I., Daskalopoulou, S. S., & Mantzoros, C. S. (2023) · Contemporary cardiology · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-13177-6_8 · Cited by 1
Roopashree, P. G., Shetty, S. S., Shetty, V. V., Suhasini, P. C., Shetty, P. K., & Kumari, S. (2024) · Journal of Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences University · doi:10.4103/jdmimsu.jdmimsu_823_23 · Cited by 1
Obesity and postgastrectomy outcomes: large risks, fat chances, or no big deal?
Schwarz, R. E. (2012) · Gastric Cancer · doi:10.1007/s10120-012-0144-7 · Cited by 1
Serum Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Bisphenol-A Levels in Nigerian Women with Breast Cancer
Ajayi, O. O. (2014) · Archives of Basic and Applied Medicine · Cited by 1
Ng, Z. Q., Wijesuriya, R. E., Misur, P., Tan, J. H., Moe, K. S., & Theophilus, M. (2020) · ANZ Journal of Surgery · doi:10.1111/ans.16063 · Cited by 1
Value of Computed Tomography-Defined Visceral Fat Area as a Risk Factor for Endometrial Cancer
Kim, J. S. (2020) · Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research · doi:10.26717/bjstr.2020.28.004609 · Cited by 1
Zaccari, P., Ribichini, E., Stigliano, S., Serrao, G., Scalese, G., Caronna, R., Chirletti, P., & Severi, C. (2021) · Pancreas · doi:10.1097/mpa.0000000000001725 · Cited by 1
The Relationship Between Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Obesity
Başçı, S., Yaman, S., Durmuşoğlu, E., Yiğenoğlu, T. N., Ulu, B. U., Bakırtaş, M., Şahin, D., Darçın, T., Batgi, H., Dal, M. S., et al. (2021) · Acta Oncologica Turcica · doi:10.5505/aot.2021.19970 · Cited by 1
Ribeiro, A. M. D. J. S. D. A. (2019) · IntechOpen eBooks · doi:10.5772/intechopen.89193 · Cited by 1
Obesity and Colon and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer
Sheean, P., Gomez‐Perez, S. L., Agarwal, P., & Braunschweig, C. A. (2014) · Humana Press eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-62703-770-9_22
Warren, K. J. (2012) · Iowa State University Digital Repository (Iowa State University) · doi:10.31274/etd-180810-575
Burnett, D. M. (2013) · KU ScholarWorks (The University of Kansas)
The relationship between visceral obesity and colorectal cancer
Rickles, A. S., Iannuzzi, J. C., Kelly, K. N., Garimella, V., Fleming, F. J., & Monson, J. R. T. (2013) · Colorectal Cancer · doi:10.2217/crc.13.20
Internship: Quantification of T-cell mediated tumor regression
Slagter, M. (2015)
Pinto, L. Z. E. F. (2013) · Americanae (AECID Library)
Biomarkers Associated with Adiposity and Metabolic Dysfunction in Hepatobiliary Tract Cancer
Aleksandrova, K., Schlesinger, S., & Stelmach-Mardas, M. (2016) · Exposure and Health · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-7742-2_37-1
Johnson, O. S. (2016) · SUNScholar (Stellenbosch University)
The effect of maternal obesity on the prostate of rat offspring during adulthood
Elwan, W. M., & Ibrahim, M. A. (2016) · The Egyptian Journal of Histology · doi:10.1097/01.ehx.0000512119.02167.da
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND EXERCISE AS A KEY FACTOR IN SUCCESSFUL AGING
Passaro, A., Capatti, E., & Nora, E. D. (2018) · Annales Kinesiologiae · doi:10.35469/ak.2017.137
Molecular Mechanisms and Intervention Strategies in Breast Cancer Associated with Obesity
Luo, G. (2018) · Interventions in Obesity & Diabetes · doi:10.31031/iod.2018.02.000537
Regulation of breast cancer biomarkers by intrinsic and extrinsic factors
Pallegar, N. K. (2018) · Memorial University Research Repository (Memorial University)
Visceral Fat Quantitated From CT Colonography Is Associated With the Presence of Colorectal Polyps
Srirattanapong, S., Panyawaraporn, Y., Prasertsilpakul, W., & Laothamatas, J. (2020) · Ramathibodi Medical Journal · doi:10.33165/rmj.2020.43.2.240071
Value of computed tomography-defined visceral fat area as a risk factor for endometrial cancer
Cho, J.-H., Kim, J. S., Park, S., & Kim, W. Y. (2021) · Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology · doi:10.31083/j.ceog.2021.02.2297
Arafa, M., El-Atty, E. A., Elshayeb, E. I., Shaaban, M. H., & El-Alim, A. A. (2021) · Menoufia Medical Journal · doi:10.4103/mmj.mmj_181_19
Biomarkers Associated with Adiposity and Metabolic Dysfunction in Hepatobiliary Tract Cancer
Aleksandrova, K., Schlesinger, S., & Stelmach-Mardas, M. (2017) · Biomarkers in disease · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-7675-3_37
The Role of Diet, Physical Activity, and Body Composition in Cancer Prevention
Thomson, C. A., & Bea, J. W. (2019) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-15935-1_4
Cantürk, Z., Gezer, E., Akpınar, G., Kasap, M., & Çakıroğlu, A. Y. (2024) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-4421269/v1
Wang, Y., Li, Y., Guo, Y., Jiang, S., Lou, J., Gong, B., Li, Z., Yang, L., & Zhou, G. (2025) · BMC Cancer · doi:10.1186/s12885-025-14411-6
zhu, G., Sun, Y., Lian, D., Amin, B., Xu, G., Wang, J., Zhang, N., & Wang, D. (2025) · Preventive Medicine Reports · doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2025.103170
Kooser, J., Davis, M., Guo, T., Vanenkevort, E., Young, A., Koppenhaver, N., Lagerman, B., Gupta, M., Patel, A., & Wojtowicz, M. (2025) · Supportive Care in Cancer · doi:10.1007/s00520-025-10243-z
Chang, C.-C., Hsu, C.-C., Yu, T.-H., Hung, W.-C., Kuo, S.-M., Chen, C.-C., Wu, C.-C., Chung, F.-M., Lee, Y.-J., & Wei, C.-T. (2023) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.22601612
Wang, S. Y., Zhang, W. S., Jiang, C. Q., Jin, Y. L., Zhu, T., Zhu, F., & Xu, L. (2023) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.22622674
Perez‐Cornago, A., Dunneram, Y., Watts, E. L., Key, T. J., & Travis, R. C. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.19711268
Rôle des facteurs anthropométriques et métaboliques dans la survenue du cancer de la prostate
Lavalette, C. (2020) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/afc69a1dza5ffz410ezb787z0ab4a6f99163
Mariette, T. D., Omofuma, O. M., Gaddam, M., Bajoria, R. S., Onuwa, F. C., Ifezuoke, N. F., Pardeshi, N. P., Said, M. K., Osanupin, A. O., Kaur, S., et al. (2026) · F1000Research · doi:10.12688/f1000research.179573.1
Liu, Q., Cao, Y., Cao, D., Zhou, H. M., Yu, M., Peng, P., Wang, T. T., Yang, J., & Feng, Y. (2026) · Journal of Endocrinology · doi:10.1530/joe-25-0205
Biglari, M., Ali, S., Muniz, T. P., Butler, M. O., Ennis, M., Ernst, S., & Lohmann, A. E. (2026) · Current Oncology · doi:10.3390/curroncol33070403
Chen, X., Yang, M., Zhao, W., Tu, J., & Yuan, X. (2026) · International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research · doi:10.31083/ijvnr39830
Ding, Y., Wang, J., Wang, N., Zhu, J., Wang, X., & 段培蓓 (2026) · Frontiers in Endocrinology · doi:10.3389/fendo.2026.1848724
Scartabellati, G., Trevisan, B., Schivardi, G., Graifembergh, M., Moretti, L., Bonomelli, C., Laganà, M., Buizza, C., Ravanelli, M., Monti, A., et al. (2026) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-10411428/v1
Joint effects of sleep and PRS on thyroid cancer risk: a cohort study from the UK Biobank
Zhao, Z., Zheng, Y., Feng, X., Fan, Q., Liang, X., Liu, C., Huang, L., Li, L., Cheng, H., Cai, H., et al. (2026) · Biological Rhythm Research · doi:10.1080/09291016.2026.2741237
Metadata
- Authors
- Donohoe, C. L., Doyle, S. L., & Reynolds, J. V.
- Affiliations
- Trinity College Dublin (IE)
- Corresponding author
- Reynolds, John V
- Venue
- Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome
- Published
- 2011-06-22
- Volume
- 3
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 12-12
- ISSN
- 1758-5996 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3145556
- OpenAlex
- W2119964718
- Cited by
- 247
- References
- 182
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 19
- FWCI
- 8.67
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Arrow@dit (Dublin Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Lenus, The Irish Health Repository (Dr Steevens Hospital Library) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Irish Cancer Society
- Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology
- Irish Research Council
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Risks and Factors
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Cancer, Lipids, and Metabolism
- Keywords
- visceral fat, obesity, cancer risk, insulin resistance, insulin-like growth factor axis, adipose tissue endocrine function, adipokines, sex steroids, chronic inflammation, paracrine effects, carcinogenesis, tumor progression
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
