Open AccessBody Mass Index and Risk of Primary Liver Cancer: A Meta‐Analysis of Prospective Studies
Author(s) -
Wang Yuqin,
Wang Baochan,
Shen Feng,
Fan Jiangao,
Cao Haixia
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the oncologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.176
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1549-490X
pISSN - 1083-7159
DOI - 10.1634/theoncologist.2012-0066
Subject(s) - medicine , meta analysis , body mass index , cancer , oncology , prospective cohort study , index (typography) , world wide web , computer science
Background. Questions remain about the dose‐response relationship between body mass index (BMI) and primary liver cancer (PLC) risk, possible confounding by hepatitis virus infection, and differences by gender or geographic location. We performed a meta‐analysis of prospective studies to explore these issues. Methods. We searched PubMed and Embase for studies of BMI and risk of PLC through November 30, 2011. Summary relative risks with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random effects model. Results. A total of 21 prospective studies (including 17,624 PLC cases) were included in our analysis. The summary relative risk for a 5‐unit increment in BMI (in kg/m 2 ) was 1.39 (95% CI: 1.25–1.55), with high heterogeneity. These positive results were robust when stratified by sex, geographic location, ascertainment of exposure and outcome, the number of cases, duration of follow‐up, sample source, and cofounders. There was evidence of a nonlinear association between BMI and PLC risk, with the most pronounced increase in risk among persons with a BMI >32 kg/m 2 . Patients with hepatitis C virus or cirrhosis (but not patients with hepatitis B virus) with excess weight had a higher risk of PLC development than general populations with excess weight. Conclusion. Excess weight increases PLC risk. For people with HCV infection or cirrhosis, risk increases are greater than for general population.