SummaryAside from smoking, excess body fatness is the leading preventable cause of cancer and is associated with an increased risk of at least 13 distinct cancer types. Historically, studies have relied on simple anthropometric indicators like Body Mass Index (BMI) or waist circumference, which cannot distinguish between different body fat deposits. This project aims to use detailed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data to investigate how specific fat distributions - namely Visceral Adipose Tissue (VAT), Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue (SAT), and Liver Proton Density Fat Fraction (PDFF) - influence the development of obesity-related cancers (ORC). A key focus is testing whether liver fat, rather than abdominal visceral fat, is the primary driver of insulin resistance (IR), a major metabolic pathway linked to cancer development. The project will leverage large-scale cohort data from The German National Cohort (NAKO) and the UK Biobank to replicate small-scale clinical findings on a massive population level. This research will enhance our mechanical understanding of obesity-driven cancer development and directly inform national and international public health strategies for targeted cancer screening and prevention.

Keywords Obesity Steatosis cancer hepatic insulin-resistance subcutaneous-adipose-tissue visceral-adipose-tissue-VAT

InstitutionsThe University of Manchester