A case-control study on the association of abdominal obesity and hypercholesterolemia with the risk of colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND: Obesity has frequently been associated with the dyslipidemic state and with the risk of various chronic diseases.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between obesity and blood lipids with a risk of colorectal cancer (CRC).

METHODOLOGY: Histologically confirmed CRC patients from five local hospitals were matched with cancer-free controls for age, gender, and ethnicity (n = 140: 280). The study participants underwent physical assessment for the presence of obesity and 10 mL of fasting blood was drawn for blood lipid analysis.

RESULTS: In this study, abdominal obesity significantly doubled the risk of CRC (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =1.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1-2.83). Hypercholesterolemia and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) increased the risk of CRC more than twofolds (AOR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.7-3.9 and AOR = 3.8, 95% CI = 2.3-6.3, respectively). Abdominal obesity and hypercholesterolemia synergically doubled the risk of CRC (AOR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1-4). Low-HDL has shown no synergic association with other dyslipidemic states with an increased CRC risk.

CONCLUSION: Improving abdominal obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and low HDL may be a clinically relevant strategy to reduce the risk of CRC among Malaysians.