Metabolic Syndrome Linked to Breast Cancer Risk

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that can include hypertension, high blood sugar and a large waistline. This increases your risk of heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes. New research focuses on a another potential consequence: cancer.

Those with metabolic syndrome had a 30 percent increased risk of developing cancer in subsequent years, according to a study recently published in the journal "Cancer". The researchers also tracked C-reactive protein, which is used to measure chronic inflammation. Metabolic syndrome and higher levels of this protein were "significantly associated with subsequent breast, endometrial, colorectal and liver cancers" according to the article.

The study used a definition of metabolic syndrome that required a person to have a large waistline plus two other conditions. It did not address to what extent the cancer risk was associated with other conditions that are part of metabolic syndrome, independent of their waistline. Other conditions include low levels of HDL (good cholesterol) and elevated triglycerides.