Obesity, Cancer and Multimorbidity: From Emerging Phenotypes to Precision Epidemiology

This Research Topic is focused on the complex, heterogeneous, and rapidly evolving relationship between obesity, cancer, and multimorbidity. Obesity is a critical modifiable determinant of numerous chronic diseases, and its role as a major contributor to cancer incidence, progression, and mortality is of paramount public health significance.Conventional epidemiological approaches, often relying on measures like body mass index (BMI), are insufficient to capture the nuanced interplay between adiposity, metabolic health, and oncogenesis. Recent advancements have propelled the field toward a more multidimensional paradigm. This new approach incorporates novel measures such as visceral adiposity, body composition, metabolic dysfunction, genetic susceptibility, and longitudinal weight trajectories. These tools offer unprecedented opportunities to refine risk stratification and advance precision epidemiology.Furthermore, the intersection of obesity and cancer is a cornerstone of multimorbidity. Patients with obesity-related cancers frequently suffer from coexisting conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease, which profoundly impact treatment decisions, survivorship, and healthcare utilization. This Research Topic aims to move beyond single-disease models toward an integrated, longitudinal framework that addresses these interconnected disease trajectories.By bringing together diverse, high-impact research in this area, this Research Topic will provide a definitive overview of the current state of knowledge and chart a course for future investigation. It aligns perfectly with the mission of Frontiers in Epidemiology to disseminate rigorous science that addresses pressing global health challenges. We are confident that this collection will become a vital resource for researchers, clinicians, and public health policymakers.This Research Topic will convene cutting-edge epidemiological research that investigates the multifaceted relationship between obesity, cancer, and multimorbidity. We will place a special emphasis on studies that leverage:• Novel obesity phenotypes• Longitudinal disease trajectories• Precision epidemiology and causal inference methods• Real-world evidence and large-scale data (e.g., EHR, multi-omics)• Population-level and health equity perspectives3. Key Thematic AreasWe welcome submissions that address the epidemiology, prevention, prognosis, and population-health consequences of obesity-associated cancer. We have organized the topic around eight key areas of interest:1. Obesity Phenotypes and Cancer Risk: Moving beyond BMI to explore visceral adiposity, body composition, metabolic health, and weight trajectories.2. Obesity-Associated Cancer Incidence and Prevention: Life-course epidemiology of obesity-related cancers, cancer prevention through metabolic intervention, and other population-level prevention strategies.3. Obesity, Cancer Progression, and Survival: The impact of obesity on tumor progression, treatment response, recurrence, and survivorship.4. Obesity-Associated Multimorbidity in Cancer: Investigating the patterns and impact of co-existing chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease in cancer patients.5. Precision, Systems, and Digital Epidemiology: Methodological advances including Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Digital Epidemiology; Systems Epidemiology and Multi-Omics of Obesity-Associated Cancer; Mendelian randomization; and causal inference.6. Emerging Obesity Treatments and Cancer: The epidemiological impact of new pharmacotherapies (e.g., GLP-1 agonists) and bariatric surgery on cancer risk and outcomes.7. Cancer Survivorship and Population Health: Addressing weight management, cardiometabolic health, and quality of life in the growing population of cancer survivors.8. Global and Health-Equity Perspectives: Examining global trends, socioeconomic disparities, and policy interventions.4. Welcomed ContributionsTo create a comprehensive and impactful collection, we encourage a wide range of submission types, including:• Original Research• Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses• Methods Articles• Reviews• Perspectives Topic editors: Dipanjan Banerjee, Manash K. Paul, Aditya Kumar, Suman Dasgupta Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85832/obesity-cancer-and-multimorbidity-from-emerging-phenotypes-to-precision-epidemiology