Abstract
Background
Metabolic syndrome components have been associated with colorectal cancer in several studies; however, evidence for colorectal adenomas is limited. Thus, we evaluated the association between markers of the metabolic syndrome with colorectal adenoma development in a nested case–control study.
Methods
Colorectal adenoma cases (n = 132) and matched controls, who had a negative sigmoidoscopy or a colonoscopy (n = 260), were identified between baseline in 1989 and 2000 among participants in the CLUE II cohort of Washington County, Maryland. Concentrations of C-peptide, insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1, glycosylated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides were measured in baseline blood specimens. Body mass index was calculated using baseline height and weight. Use of medications to treat diabetes mellitus was self-reported at baseline. Blood pressure was measured at baseline. Distributional cutpoints of the latter markers were used to define the metabolic syndrome components (hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, obesity, dyslipidemia, and hypertension) present at baseline.
Results
No statistically significant associations with adenomas were observed for the markers of the metabolic syndrome, with the exception of a strong positive association for use of diabetes medications (OR, 8.00; 95% CI, 1.70–37.67), albeit based on small numbers.
Conclusion
Our findings do not support that components of the metabolic syndrome influence risk of colorectal adenomas, except possibly for severe diabetes mellitus warranting medical treatment.
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Acknowledgments
We appreciate the continued efforts of the staff members at the Johns Hopkins George W. Comstock Center for Public Health Research and Prevention in the conduct of the CLUE II study. We also thank Gary Bradwin, director of Dr. Rifai’s laboratory, and Yuzhen Tao, in the laboratory of Dr. Pollak, for overseeing the laboratory assays. This research was supported by a grant from the American Institute for Cancer Research, and Public Health Service research grants CA86308 (Early Detection Research Network) from the National Cancer Institute, and AG18033 from the National Institute of Aging, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services. Konstantinos Tsilidis was funded by a J. William Fulbright grant and a scholarship from the Hellenic State Scholarships Foundation.
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Tsilidis, K.K., Brancati, F.L., Pollak, M.N. et al. Metabolic syndrome components and colorectal adenoma in the CLUE II cohort. Cancer Causes Control 21, 1–10 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-009-9428-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-009-9428-6