title: Pro-inflammatory adipokines as predictors of incident cancers in a Chinese cohort of low obesity prevalence in Hong Kong.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cytokines released from adipose tissues induce chronic low-grade inflammation, which may enhance cancer development. We investigated whether indices of obesity and circulating adipokine levels could predict incident cancer risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  This longitudinal community-based study included subjects from the Hong Kong Cardiovascular Risk Factors Prevalence Study (CRISPS) study commenced in 1995-1996 (CRISP-1) with baseline assessments including indices of obesity. Subjects were reassessed in 2000-2004 (CRISPS-2) with measurement of serum levels of adipokines including interleukin-6 (IL-6), soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (sTNFR2; as a surrogate marker of tumor necrosis factor-α activity), leptin, lipocalin 2, adiponectin and adipocyte-fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP). Incident cancer cases were identified up to 31 December 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  205 of 2893 subjects recruited at CRISPS-1 had developed incident cancers. More of the subjects who developed cancers were obese (22.1 vs 16.1%) or had central obesity (36.6 vs 24.5%) according to Asian cut-offs. Waist circumference (adjusted HR 1.02 [1.00-1.03] per cm; p=0.013), but not body mass index (adjusted HR 1.04 [1.00-1.08] per kg/m²; p=0.063), was a significant independent predictor for incident cancers after adjustment for age, sex and smoking status. 99 of 1899 subjects reassessed at CRISPS-2 had developed cancers. Subjects who developed cancers had significantly higher level of hsCRP, IL-6, sTNFR2 and lipocalin 2. After adjustment for conventional risk factors, only IL-6 (HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.18-1.95) and sTNFR2 (HR 3.27, 95%CI 1.65-6.47) predicted cancer development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data supported the increased risk of malignancy by chronic low grade inflammation related to central obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Chun-Yip
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: Annette Wai-Kwan
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Tso
authors.forename: Aimin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yu-Cho
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Tai-Hing
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Su-Vui
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Carol Ho-Yee
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: Nelson Ming-Sang
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Wat
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Bernard Man-Yung
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Karen Siu-Ling
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lam
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines / Q000097:blood*; D050154:Adiposity; D044466:Asian People; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines