Obesity-Associated Breast Cancer: Clinical Evidence for a Molecular Link

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of postmenopausal, estrogen-dependent breast cancer. Adipose tissue undergoes important changes in obesity due to excess storage of lipids, leading to adipocyte cell death and the recruitment of macrophages resulting in chronic low-grade inflammation and elevated levels of aromatase, the rate-limiting enzyme in estrogen biosynthesis. My research aimed to determine whether the p53-HIF1α/PKM2-aromatase axis is altered with obesity. In addition, whether obesity leads to DNA damage, a key determinant of tumour formation. Further, whether caloric restriction reverses the obesity effect on this axis and DNA damage, thus serve as a strategy to prevent cancer.