Early life exposures and adulthood cancer risk: a life course perspective
Menée à partir de données du registre de santé scolaire de Copenhague portant sur 301 927 enfants (âge : 6-15 ans), cette étude analyse l'association entre la trajectoire de l'indice de masse corporelle chez l'enfant et le risque de cancer lié à l'obésité chez l'adulte, ainsi que l'effet du diabète de type 2 sur cette association
Cancer is a disease of aging, with the vast majority of cancer diagnoses occurring after 2 the age of 50. However, over the past three decades, the incidence of adult cancers has increased in younger adults across the globe, causing major public health concern. Since this surge in early-onset cancer has paralleled worldwide increases in body mass index (BMI), and most of the cancer types increasing in incidence in younger individuals are associated with excess adiposity (referred to as “obesity-related cancer”), the epidemic of early-onset cancer has been attributed, at least in part, to obesity. Still, little is known about the risk factors contributing to early-onset cancer. Given the long latency of cancer, it is probable that early life exposures promote adult cancer development, particularly early-onset cancer.