Weight Loss Reduces Proteins Involved in New Blood Vessel Formation in Cancer

Obesity is the second most common environmental cause of cancer after smoking. As a preventable cause, combating it offers hope. However, the mechanisms remain incompletely understood, some predictions remain theoretical, and obesity has recently become a frequent research focus.

A new study in this field, published last week, investigated the effect of obesity on cancer through the angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation) pathway's proteins. The research was based on this theory and produced meaningful findings.

Vascular growth factors released by cancer cells for nourishment, such as PAI-1, VEGF and PEDF, increase tumor blood supply and nutrition, contributing to progression. These factors also increase proportionally with the fat tissue accumulation naturally accompanying obesity.

Based on the idea that weight loss reduces fat tissue and vascular factors, potentially protecting against cancer, the study included postmenopausal women aged 50-75 who were not receiving hormone treatment. These 439 healthy women were divided into 4 groups, and protein changes were studied for 12 months. The first group followed only a calorie-restricted diet

After 12 months, PAI-1 decreased substantially more in the diet-plus-exercise group than controls. Diet alone and diet-plus-exercise also showed notable PEDF and VEGF reductions versus controls. Unlike groups including diet, exercise alone showed no significant difference from controls.

In conclusion, the linear relationship between diet and weight loss and reduced vascular proteins supports the research group, suggesting that obesity, thought likely to become cancer's leading future risk factor, should actually be viewed as a factor we can use to our advantage in prevention and included in promising preventive plans.