Body Mass Index and Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers in the world. Obesity is an established risk factor for colorectal carcinogenesis. Many epidemiological and experimental studies support this link and tumor-promoting effects of obesity. Body mass index (BMI) is a marker of general obesity. Obesity is also a global health problem and is defined by World Health Organization as BMI > 30 kg/m 2. In this chapter, we give a general review about the mechanisms of obesity on colorectal carcinogenesis and the effects of obesity on clinical outcomes such as disease-free survival (DFS), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), in adjuvant setting and metastatic disease, respectively.