June 2008 Mayo Clinic Health Letter Highlights New MRI Scanning Technology, Obesity-Related Cancer, and Do-It-Yourse...(to use this technology to identifydisord...),Health

Date:6/24/2008

to use this technology to identify disorders such as schizophrenia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism. In another research area, fMRI is being used to determine how mild cognitive impairment might evolve in the brain. People with mild cognitive impairment are considered at increased risk for dementia.

Obesity-Related Cancer on the Rise

As Americans' collective waistline has continued to expand, so has the prevalence of obesity-related cancer.

According to the June issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter, an estimated 14 percent of cancer deaths in older men and 20 percent in older women can be attributed to excess body fat. It's not fully understood why excess body fat increases the risk of cancer.

Theories include:

Insulin -- Obesity and inactivity generally lead to higher levels of insulin circulating in the blood. Excess insulin is believed to fuel the growth of cancer cells. In addition, it increases circulating levels of other hormones that likely play a role in cancer development and growth, such as estrogen.

Estrogen -- Adding to insulin's influence on estrogen levels, fat tissue also produces this hormone. Estrogen levels are 50 percent to 100 percent higher in postmenopausal women who are overweight versus those who are lean. It's believed that this alteration increases the risk of estrogen-sensitive cancers such as certain types of breast cancers.

Immune system -- Excess fat is thought to release proteins that may suppress the immune system and increase inflammation. Both may play a role in cancer development and progression.

Other risks of obesity -- Obesity-related problems such as acid reflux, high blood pressure, gallstones and fatty liver may damage tissues of the esophagus, kidney, gallbladder and liver, respectively. This may set the stage for cancer development.

Although there's evidence that gaining weight increases the risk of cancer, there has been almost no research th
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SOURCE Mayo Clinic Copyright©2008 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

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