Obesity, Adipose Tissue, Metabolic Dysfunction, and its Impact on Cancer Progression

Metabo-oncology is an emerging interdisciplinary field at the intersection of oncology, metabolism, and obesity research. Epidemiological studies have firmly established that obesity is a risk factor for at least a dozen types of cancers. Furthermore, obesity can impact the prognosis of cancer patients. The precise impact of host adiposity and metabolic dysfunction on cancer development, progression and outcomes remains incompletely understood. Some studies link elevated fat mass or systemic metabolic markers with poorer survival and worse prognoses, yet recent findings suggest that, in select cancer subtypes, obesity may paradoxically improve outcomes and bolster responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors. This paradox is complicated by the widespread use of BMI as a proxy for adiposity, which fails to reflect important factors like adipose tissue distribution and sarcopenic obesity, both of which may critically modulate tumor biology and treatment response. Efforts to resolve these ambiguities and optimize patient care are now at the forefront of cancer research, particularly as new pharmacologic and lifestyle interventions emerge.This issue of the journal aims to delineate the effects of obesity and metabolic dysfunction on cancer development, progression, treatment response, and survivorship. An improved understanding of the link between adipose tissue, metabolism, and cancer should help to guide the development of interventions that will reduce the risk of cancer or improve the outcomes of cancer patients with excess body fat and metabolic dysfunction. Key questions include defining why adiposity and related systemic factors influence the risk or progression of different malignancies variably and how novel interventions, including exercise, precision nutrition, and incretin-based therapies, can be leveraged to enhance oncologic and metabolic outcomes in tandem. By synthesizing interdisciplinary evidence, the topic seeks to advance best practices and inform tailored recommendations for a complex and rapidly evolving patient population.To gather further insights into the links between obesity, metabolic dysfunction, and cancer, and to explore innovative strategies for intervention, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Epidemiological and mechanistic insights into obesity/metabolic dysfunction as modifiers of cancer risk and progression.- Advances and limitations in phenotyping adiposity, metabolic health, and body composition among cancer patients.- Clinical and experimental studies evaluating structured exercise, dietary, or combined lifestyle interventions in oncologic settings.- Mechanisms and early evidence supporting GLP-1, GIP, and other incretin-based therapies for obesity/metabolic dysfunction in cancer care.- Integration of metabolic interventions with standard-of-care cancer treatments, including effects on survival, remission rates, and patient quality of life.- Emerging biomarkers and personalized approaches for risk stratification and therapy selection in metabo-oncology.Both preclinical and clinical studies are welcome. Subject reviews will also be considered. Please note that manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases that are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of the scope of this Research Topic.Dr. Peter Cornelius is an employee of SynDevRx, Inc., receives a salary from the company, holds a financial interest in the company (including granted incentive stock options), and is an inventor on patents assigned to SynDevRx, Inc.Dr. Louise Lang Lehrskov reports receiving speaker honoraria from Ipsen unrelated to the present work. Topic editors: Peter Cornelius, Louise Lang Lehrskov, Thomas Cardaci Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82127/obesity-adipose-tissue-metabolic-dysfunction-and-its-impact-on-cancer-progression