Association of visceral adiposity with oesophageal and junctional adenocarcinomas

Abstract

Background

Obesity is associated with an increased incidence of oesophageal and oesophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma, in particular Siewert types I and II. This study compared abdominal fat composition in patients with oesophageal/junctional adenocarcinoma with that in patients with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma and gastric adenocarcinoma, and in controls.

Method

In total, 194 patients (110 with oesophageal/junctional adenocarcinoma, 38 with gastric adenocarcinoma and 46 with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma) and 90 matched control subjects were recruited. The abdominal fat area was assessed using computed tomography (CT), and the total fat area (TFA), visceral fat area (VFA) and subcutaneous fat area (SFA) were calculated.

Results

Patients with oesophageal/junctional adenocarcinoma had significantly higher TFA and VFA values compared with controls (both P < 0·001), patients with gastric adenocarcinoma (P = 0·013 and P = 0·006 respectively) and patients with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (both P < 0·001). For junctional tumours, the highest TFA and VFA values were seen in patients with Siewert type I tumours (respectively P = 0·041 and P = 0·033 versus type III; P = 0·332 and P = 0·152 versus type II).

Conclusion

Patients with oesophageal/junctional adenocarcinoma, in particular oesophageal and Siewert type I junctional tumours, have greater CT-defined visceral adiposity than patients with gastric adenocarcinoma or oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, or controls.