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. 2023 Feb;128(4):594-605.
doi: 10.1038/s41416-022-02071-3. Epub 2022 Dec 2.

Body shape phenotypes of multiple anthropometric traits and cancer risk: a multi-national cohort study

Anja M Sedlmeier  1 , Vivian Viallon  2 , Pietro Ferrari  2 , Laia Peruchet-Noray  2   3 , Emma Fontvieille  2 , Amina Amadou  4   5 , Nazlisadat Seyed Khoei  6 , Andrea Weber  1 , Hansjörg Baurecht  1 , Alicia K Heath  7 , Kostas Tsilidis  7   8 , Rudolf Kaaks  9 , Verena Katzke  9 , Elif Inan-Eroglu  10 , Matthias B Schulze  10   11 , Kim Overvad  12 , Catalina Bonet  13   14 , Esther Ubago-Guisado  15   16   17 , María-Dolores Chirlaque  17   18   19 , Eva Ardanaz  17   20 , Aurora Perez-Cornago  21 , Valeria Pala  22 , Rosario Tumino  23 , Carlotta Sacerdote  24 , Fabrizio Pasanisi  25 , Kristin B Borch  26 , Charlotta Rylander  26 , Elisabete Weiderpass  2 , Marc J Gunter  2 , Béatrice Fervers  4   5 , Michael F Leitzmann  1 , Heinz Freisling  27
Affiliations

Body shape phenotypes of multiple anthropometric traits and cancer risk: a multi-national cohort study

Anja M Sedlmeier et al. Br J Cancer. 2023 Feb.

Abstract

Background: Classical anthropometric traits may fail to fully represent the relationship of weight, adiposity, and height with cancer risk. We investigated the associations of body shape phenotypes with the risk of overall and site-specific cancers.

Methods: We derived four distinct body shape phenotypes from principal component (PC) analysis on height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist (WC) and hip circumferences (HC), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). The study included 340,152 men and women from 9 European countries, aged mostly 35-65 years at recruitment (1990-2000) in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results: After a median follow-up of 15.3 years, 47,110 incident cancer cases were recorded. PC1 (overall adiposity) was positively associated with the risk of overall cancer, with a HR per 1 standard deviation (SD) increment equal to 1.07 (95% confidence interval 1.05 to 1.08). Positive associations were observed with 10 cancer types, with HRs (per 1 SD) ranging from 1.36 (1.30-1.42) for endometrial cancer to 1.08 (1.03-1.13) for rectal cancer. PC2 (tall stature with low WHR) was positively associated with the risk of overall cancer (1.03; 1.02-1.04) and five cancer types which were not associated with PC1. PC3 (tall stature with high WHR) was positively associated with the risk of overall cancer (1.04; 1.03-1.05) and 12 cancer types. PC4 (high BMI and weight with low WC and HC) was not associated with overall risk of cancer (1.00; 0.99-1.01).

Conclusions: In this multi-national study, distinct body shape phenotypes were positively associated with the incidence of 17 different cancers and overall cancer.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Loadings for the four different body shape phenotypes.
PC1: blue; PC2: magenta; PC3: green; PC4: orange.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Hazard ratios (HRs) for total cancer and 24 cancer subtypes per 1 SD increment in the first principal component (PC1; overall adiposity).
HRs with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) from Cox proportional hazards regressions in the total population (n = 340,152) and in never smokers (n = 160,111); n number of cancer incidence cases, CNS central nervous system, SCC squamous cell carcinomas.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Hazard ratios (HRs) for total cancer and 24 cancer subtypes per 1 SD increment in the second principal component (PC2; tall stature, low waist-to-hip ratio).
HRs with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) from Cox proportional hazards regressions in the total population (n = 340,152) and in never smokers (n = 160,111); n number of cancer incidence cases, CNS central nervous system, SCC squamous cell carcinomas.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4. Hazard ratios (HRs) for total cancer and 24 cancer subtypes per 1 SD increment in the third principal component (PC3; tall stature, high waist-to-hip ratio).
HRs with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) from Cox proportional hazards regressions in the total population (n = 340,152) and in never smokers (n = 160,111); n number of cancer incidence cases, CNS central nervous system, SCC squamous cell carcinomas.
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