The Role of Obesity as a Risk Factor for Early-Onset Cancers

Cancer is a multifactorial disease that most commonly affects older adults. However, recent data suggest a marked increase in the incidence of cancer in people younger than 50 years of age, collectively known as early-onset cancer. The increase in early-onset cancer is associated with several risk factors in early life or young adulthood, such as overweight and obesity, promoters of cancer development and progression. The expanding incidence of overweight and obesity in children and young adults may be shifting the frequency of multiple malignancies to younger ages. In addition, early-life adiposity may impact cancer incidence later in adulthood.

The objectives of the webinar are to:

• Provide expert review of epidemiological trends for gastrointestinal cancers, particularly colorectal and pancreatic cancer.

• Determine the role of early-life overweight and obesity and obesity-related risk factors in the development of early-onset cancer and cancer at older ages.

• Define the challenges and research gaps in our current understanding of early-life adiposity and the development of early-onset cancer and cancer at older ages.

This webinar is part of the NCI Obesity & Cancer Webinar Series, which aims to foster cross-disciplinary research on obesity that can help prevent, treat, and/or control cancer.

Reasonable Accommodations
Closed captioning will be available to all participants. Individuals who need reasonable accommodations to participate in this event should contact ncidccpsbrpadvances@mail.nih.gov. Requests should be made at least five business days in advance of the event.