Obesity and Genetics
 

Dear Angel

This is an excellent article. Very to the point but highlights many things that we have discussed on the board and privately for years. I believe that exercise and trying to stay within a normal weight range is important. We all are predisposed to various "ills" that are influenced by our environment - both things we cannot control and things we can control.

This article focuses on obesity and its connection to the immune system, but estrogen is also involved with the immune system - I failed algebra in school, but I think there is some sort of formula that would tie bc in here, as well. More "food for thought."

Hopeful

I believe it all ties in. See the 2 links below that were just in the news today and yesterday.

They are in regard to obesity (more aggressive bc and worse outcome) and exercise (lowers bc risk regardless of family history and whether thin or not).

These show many things. Obesity - more insulin and insulin growth factors in bloodstream, more estrogen in bloodstream, less availability of fat soluble vitamins (like Vitamin D). All the above also increases inflammatory responses.

Exercise (regardless of obesity) - lowers insulin growth factors, regulates insulin, lowers cholesterol (which is a precursor of all sex hormones. LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) increases inflammatory responses in the arteries. Cholesterol's precursor is prostaglandin which does cause inflammation, swelling and pain (the bad pathway of Omega 6 vs the better Omega 3).

I could go on and on but - I won't.

http://www.asco.org/ASCO/News/Cancer...eutersid=10149

http://www.asco.org/ASCO/News/Cancer...eutersid=10142

Becky,

Are you aware of any studies done on obesity and angiogenesis? The body needs to build vasculature to literally "keep the fat fed." I would think that would be another contributing factor to making bc more aggressive in the obese.

Hopeful

Factors
 

....And the fatter we are, the more aromatase that would be produced, right?

A.A.

I am not sure if aromatase as it is an enzyme and can be used over and over again. However, biochemically the reactions go

prostaglandin (from the omega 6 pathway)
cholesterol
androgen (need aromatase to convert to)
estrogen

The cholesterol to androgen to estrogen is done in fat cells (which is another reason cholesterol tends to drop when one loses weight as well). This reaction also occurs in the adrenal gland but everyone has them. Its the extra fat cell connection that is more key.

Hopeful - good point on the angiogenesis connection. I didn't even think about that but you are right. The more body tissue one has the more circlulatory system one needs to keep it all alive. Therefore, the quick ability to grow more arteries and veins and have those growth factors (among others that we know and don't know about yet) around and readily available.

Re: Obesity and Genetics
 

Aging fat cells and the regulation of insulin resistance

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...ubmed_RVDocSum