Linking obesity with leukemia relapses
Fat may offer sanctuary for cancerous cells, a study in mice shows
By Nathan Seppa
In leukemia patients, excess fatty tissue allows cancerous cells to avoid destruction by chemotherapy drugs, a study in mice suggests.
The findings, combined with tests on human leukemia cell lines, may explain why previous studies have shown that obese children and adults with leukemia are more apt to relapse than their leaner counterparts, scientists report in the Oct. 1 Cancer Research.
Other research has hinted that obesity may play a role in other cancers as well, says Steven Mittelman, an endocrinologist at the University of Southern California and Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.
Too much fat may offer a safe haven for leukemia cells during chemotherapy, says David Hockenbery, a physician at the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. “This study provides striking experimental support for the clinical observation that obesity is associated with a poor prognosis in multiple cancers.”