Key clinical point: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and obesity in individuals aged between 20 and 49 years are associated with an increased risk for earlier-onset colorectal cancer (CRC).
Major finding: MetS (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.20; 95% CI 1.14-1.27) and a higher body mass index (BMI; 25.0-29.9 kg/m 2: aHR 1.19; 95% CI 1.12-1.25; ≥30 kg/m 2: aHR 1.45; 95% CI 1.31-1.61) and waist circumference (WC; ≥100 cm in men or ≥95 cm in women: aHR 1.53; 95% CI 1.34-1.74) were associated with an increased earlier-onset CRC risk.
Study details: Findings are from a nationwide population-based cohort study that enrolled 5,672,153 individuals aged 20-49 years with health checkup data (i.e., anthropometric measurement, laboratory test, and health behavior data), of which 8320 developed earlier-onset CRC.
Disclosures: The study received no funding. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Source: Jin EH et al. Association between metabolic syndrome and the risk of colorectal cancer diagnosed before 50 years according to tumor location. Gastroenterology. 2022 (May 26). Doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2022.05.032