Being overweight or obese is a significant comorbidity of cancer: it’s associated with an increased risk of 13 types of cancer that, combined, comprise about 40% of all cancers diagnosed in the United States.
Given that 75% of all Americans are categorized as overweight or obese, this statistic is sobering. And yet most cancer research is still using mice that were developed nearly a century ago, when the national obesity rate was in the single digits. In this playbook, we explore the diet induced obesity tumor model, a potentially superior approach to cancer research that better reflects the current population. After reading it, you’ll understand: